Rhexia petiolata: Country Or Region Of Origin
Southeastern and central U.S.A.
Plant Profile: Rhexia petiolata
Taxonomy: Rhexia petiolataNames
Ciliate Meadow-beauty
Phonetic Spelling:REKS-ee-uh pet-ee-oh-LAH-tuh
Genus:Rhexia
Species:petiolata
Family:Melastomataceae
Fringed Meadow Beauty is a native perennial that thrives in wet prairies, bogs, flatwoods, and coastal swales. It prefers acidic, moist to wet, nutrient-deficient sandy soils and flourishes in full sun to partial shade. This plant is suitable for use in bog or water gardens, as well as along ponds or streams, although it may be challenging to locate for purchase.
During the summer, its pink flowers bloom on stems that reach heights of 1 to 2 feet, drawing in bees and various other pollinators.
Rhexia petiolata Feature Summary
Rhexia petiolata Image Gallery
Tags
#purple flowers
#pink flowers
#native perennial
#NC native
#native wildflower
#food source fall
#food source pollen
#Coastal FACW
#Piedmont Mountains OBL
#butterfly friendly
#bee friendly
#audubon
Similar Plants
Rhexia petiolata Feature Summary
Attributes
Southeastern and central U.S.A.
AL , FL , GA , LA , MD , MS , NC , SC , TX , VA
This plant attracts bees and butterflies.
Perennial
Fruit
Urn-shaped capsules display from August to October.
Capsule
Brown/Copper
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Flowers
1.5 inch wide pink-purple flowers with four petals, five sepals and eight short stamens with yellow anthers. Anthers straight to slightly curved, usually shorter than the filaments. Blooms from June to September.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Cyme
Solitary
Showy
Long Bloom Season
Summer
4-5 petals/rays
Star
Saucer
1-3 inches
Leaves
3/4 inch long oval green leaves have hairs on the slightly toothed margins.
Green
Simple
Opposite
Elliptical
Ovate
Serrate
< 1 inch
< 1 inch
Stem
Reddish-green square stems are narrowly winged and smooth
Green
Red/Burgundy
Square
Smooth (glabrous)
Whole Plant Traits
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Sand
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Native Garden
Water Garden
Wet Soil
Coastal
Pond
Butterflies
Bees
Rhexia petiolata Image Gallery
Rhexia petiolata Attributes
Rhexia petiolata: Distribution
AL , FL , GA , LA , MD , MS , NC , SC , TX , VA
Rhexia petiolata: Wildlife Value
This plant attracts bees and butterflies.
Rhexia petiolata: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Heat tolerant.
Rhexia petiolata: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Rhexia petiolata Fruit
Rhexia petiolata: Fruit Description
Urn-shaped capsules display from August to October.
Rhexia petiolata: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Rhexia petiolata: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Rhexia petiolata: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Rhexia petiolata: Fruit Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Rhexia petiolata: Fruit Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
> 3 inches
Rhexia petiolata Flowers
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Description
1.5 inch wide pink-purple flowers with four petals, five sepals and eight short stamens with yellow anthers. Anthers straight to slightly curved, usually shorter than the filaments. Blooms from June to September.
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Color
Pink
Purple/Lavender
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Rhexia petiolata: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Rhexia petiolata Leaves
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Description
3/4 inch long oval green leaves have hairs on the slightly toothed margins.
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Color
Green
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Rhexia petiolata: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Rhexia petiolata: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Rhexia petiolata Stem
Rhexia petiolata: Stem Description
Reddish-green square stems are narrowly winged and smooth
Rhexia petiolata: Stem Color
Green
Red/Burgundy
Rhexia petiolata: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Rhexia petiolata: Stem Cross Section
Angular
Oval
Round
Square
Rhexia petiolata: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Rhexia petiolata Whole Plant Traits
Rhexia petiolata: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Rhexia petiolata: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Rhexia petiolata: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Rhexia petiolata: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Rhexia petiolata Cultural Conditions
Rhexia petiolata: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Rhexia petiolata: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Rhexia petiolata: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Rhexia petiolata: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Rhexia petiolata: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Rhexia petiolata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Rhexia petiolata: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Rhexia petiolata Landscape
Rhexia petiolata: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Rhexia petiolata: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Rhexia petiolata: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Rhexia petiolata: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
