Hexastylis minor (Ashe) Blomquist. Common name: Little Heartleaf. Phenology: Feb-May. Habitat: Upland or moist forests. Distribution: Endemic to the Piedmont and adjacent Coastal Plain and Mountains of nc. VA, NC, and nc. SC.
ID notes: This species can be easily confused with H. virginica, which tends to have less variegated leaves, and a corolla that either lacks a constriction mid-way or is only partially constricted.
Origin/Endemic status: Endemic
Synonymy ⓘ: = K4, NS, Va, W, Gaddy (1987a), Gaddy (2011); = Asarum minus Ashe — Sinn (2015); = Hexastylis minus — Blomquist (1957), grammatical error; < Asarum minus Ashe — POWO; < Asarum virginicum L. — F; < Hexastylis minor (Ashe) Blomq. — FNA3, RAB; < Hexastylis virginica (L.) Small — C, G, S. Basionym: Asarum minus Ashe 1897
Links to other floras: < Hexastylis minor - FNA3
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: UPL (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
- Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
Heliophily ⓘ: 3
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Johnny Randall; Hexastylis minor (left); Hexastylis arifolia (right) | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Rob Gardner | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷
© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
© Grant Morrow Parkins | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Hexastylis minor? Let us know here:
- Please include your name and if possible, email in case when need to clarify what you wrote.
- If you opt out of including email, please be as specific as possible (e.g., which photo is incorrect?)
- Please do not submit questions asking to identify plants or about horticultural topics (e.g., how do I control an invasive plant in my garden?). Instead, those questions can be submitted here for the Carolinas region only.
- Please do not send us feedback about unkeyed species as this work is ongoing.
- Please allow time for flora edits to show in our next data release. We greatly appreciate your feedback but may require extra time to research complicated taxonomic issues.
Horticultural Information
Intro: Low-growing, stemless, rhizomatous perennial found in upland or moist forests.
Stems:
Leaves: Leaves on long petioles arising directly from a rhizome, heart- to kidney-shaped, 1½-3 in. long, variegated, evergreen-leathery, with a spicy smell when torn.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers arise from the rhizome on such short stalks that they are often hidden beneath leaf litter. They are maroon-red outside and in; about ½ in. long; weakly bell-shaped and prominently flared at or above the middle of the tube, with strongly spreading, widely triangular lobes (the lobes often mottled with white); firm-fleshy and prominently ridged-reticulate within.
Fruits: Fruit a round, fleshy capsule.
Comments: Endemic to the Piedmont and adjacent Coastal Plain and Mountains of nc. VA, NC, and nc. SC.
Height: 3-6 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Low-growing, stemless, rhizomatous perennial found in upland or moist forests.
stems:
leaves: Leaves on long petioles arising directly from a rhizome, heart- to kidney-shaped, 1½-3 in. long, variegated, evergreen-leathery, with a spicy smell when torn.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers arise from the rhizome on such short stalks that they are often hidden beneath leaf litter. They are maroon-red outside and in; about ½ in. long; weakly bell-shaped and prominently flared at or above the middle of the tube, with strongly spreading, widely triangular lobes (the lobes often mottled with white); firm-fleshy and prominently ridged-reticulate within.
fruits: Fruit a round, fleshy capsule.
comments: Endemic to the Piedmont and adjacent Coastal Plain and Mountains of nc. VA, NC, and nc. SC.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: VA, NC & SC
0 unsaved edits on this page.