• Photo of Stenanthium gramineum (Stenanthium gramineums)

Plant Profile: Stenanthium gramineum

Taxonomy: Stenanthium gramineum

Names

Common Featherbells, Eastern Feather Bells, Feather Bells, Grass Leaved Lily

  • Photo of Stenanthium gramineum (Stenanthium gramineums)

Phonetic Spelling:sten-ANTH-ee-um gram-IN-ee-um

Genus:Stenanthium

Species:gramineum

Family:Melanthiaceae

Stenanthium gramineum, commonly known as Feather Bells, is a perennial herbaceous wildflower belonging to the lily family. This plant showcases clusters of small white flowers from June to September. It is indigenous to the southeastern United States, typically thriving in open, rocky woodlands and sandy bogs. The sweetly scented blooms attract bees, while the foliage is often appreciated for its ornamental value.

Feather Bells can adapt to average soil conditions but thrives best in slightly acidic, well-drained soil enriched with organic matter. It can grow in various light conditions, except for deep shade; however, optimal flowering occurs in full sunlight, especially with regular watering to maintain consistent soil moisture. The plant boasts an extended blooming period of six weeks or more, starting in mid to late summer and potentially lasting until the first frost.

Mature clumps can be divided during dormancy or in early spring, although seed propagation is the preferred method. While it can naturalize in its environment, this species is not considered aggressive.

As for pests and diseases, Feather Bells are not known to suffer from any significant issues.

Stenanthium gramineum Feature Summary

Stenanthium gramineum Image Gallery

Tags

#fragrant flowers
#perennial
#nectar plant
#ornamental grass
#NC native
#wildflower garden
#food source fall
#coastal FAC
#Piedmont Mountains FACW
#bee friendly
#audubon

Similar Plants

Stenanthium gramineum Feature Summary

Attributes
Central & Eastern U.S.A
throughout
Insects come to the plant for the nectar.
Perennial
Fruit
Fruit displays from AUgust to October.
Flowers
A large, narrow, pyramidal panicle of small, white to green, nodding flowers on branches cluster up to 2 feet long. Each flower has three pointed petals and three sepals (longer than their width). Flowers on lateral branches are mostly staminate. Flowers bloom from June to September.
White
Green
Fragrant
Showy
Long Bloom Season
2-3 rays/petals
Colored Sepals
< 1 inch
Leaves
Long, narrow grasslike leaves are folded lengthwise, most numerous near the base.
Lanceolate
3-6 inches
Stem
Stem rises from a basal rosette of folded, grass-like leaves and supports a pannicle of white flowers.
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)
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasionally Dry
Occasional Flooding
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Landscape
Native Garden
Pollinators
Bees

Stenanthium gramineum Attributes

Stenanthium gramineum: Country Or Region Of Origin

Central & Eastern U.S.A

Stenanthium gramineum: Distribution

throughout

Stenanthium gramineum: Wildlife Value

Insects come to the plant for the nectar.

Stenanthium gramineum: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Stenanthium gramineum: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Stenanthium gramineum Fruit

Stenanthium gramineum: Fruit Description

Fruit displays from AUgust to October.

Stenanthium gramineum: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Stenanthium gramineum Flowers

Stenanthium gramineum: Flower Description

A large, narrow, pyramidal panicle of small, white to green, nodding flowers on branches cluster up to 2 feet long. Each flower has three pointed petals and three sepals (longer than their width). Flowers on lateral branches are mostly staminate. Flowers bloom from June to September.

Stenanthium gramineum: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Green
filter_vintage
White

Stenanthium gramineum: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Stenanthium gramineum: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Stenanthium gramineum: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Stenanthium gramineum: 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

Stenanthium gramineum: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Stenanthium gramineum Leaves

Stenanthium gramineum: Leaf Description

Long, narrow grasslike leaves are folded lengthwise, most numerous near the base.

Stenanthium gramineum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Stenanthium gramineum: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Stenanthium gramineum: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Stenanthium gramineum: 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

Stenanthium gramineum: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Stenanthium gramineum: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Stenanthium gramineum: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Stenanthium gramineum Stem

Stenanthium gramineum: Stem Description

Stem rises from a basal rosette of folded, grass-like leaves and supports a pannicle of white flowers.

Stenanthium gramineum: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Stenanthium gramineum Whole Plant Traits

Stenanthium gramineum: 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

Stenanthium gramineum: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Stenanthium gramineum: 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

Stenanthium gramineum: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Stenanthium gramineum: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Stenanthium gramineum Cultural Conditions

Stenanthium gramineum: 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)

Stenanthium gramineum: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Stenanthium gramineum: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Stenanthium gramineum: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Stenanthium gramineum: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Stenanthium gramineum: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Stenanthium gramineum Landscape

Stenanthium gramineum: 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

Stenanthium gramineum: 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

Stenanthium gramineum: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees