Plant Profile: Sabatia angularis

The rose-pink Sabatia is a striking wildflower known for its fragrant, single pink blooms, each measuring about an inch across and featuring five petals along with a distinctive greenish-yellow star-shaped center. The flowers grow in clusters with opposite branching. After blooming, they develop seed capsules that are approximately one-third of an inch long, containing numerous tiny seeds that can be easily dispersed by the wind when they mature, allowing them to establish in new areas. Although classified as a biennial, this plant readily self-seeds in gardens, often creating colonies that behave like perennials, producing a profusion of flowers each year. Its leaves are opposite, egg-shaped, and range from 0.7 to 1.5 inches in length, with a heart-shaped base that clasps the stem. Ideal planting locations include woodland borders, marshes, and thickets.

In 2020, this plant was honored as the NC Wildflower of the Year, a recognition facilitated by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.