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Shortia galacifolia Torrey & A. Gray. Common name: Southern Shortia, Oconee Bells. Phenology: Mar-Apr; Jul-Aug. Habitat: On moist slopes, creekbanks, and rock outcrops in humid escarpment gorges with high rainfall, generally in deep shade under Rhododendron maximum and R. minus, at elevations (in NC) of 350-650m. Distribution: This species occurs in Transylvania and Jackson counties, NC, Oconee and Pickens counties, SC, and Rabun County, GA, where it occurs in the remarkable escarpment gorges region, at elevations from 200-650m (formerly at lower elevations, now submerged under Lake Jocassee). Most of the population of this species, including the type locality, was destroyed in the early 1960's by the construction of Lake Jocassee (Zahner & Jones 1983). In the gorge tributaries of the Eastatoe, Toxaway, Horsepasture, and Thompson rivers, Shortia can sometimes form a dense groundcover covering acres. Various outlying locations, such as in NC (Swain and Macon counties), VA (Amherst County), and TN (Blount, Monroe, and McMinn counties) are not considered native, and are adventive or the result of persistence after cultivation. A recently discovered population in DeKalb County, AL may represent a natural occurrence and needs additional investigation of its nativity (Barger et al. 2012); for the moment it has been mapped as questionably native/alien in AL. The species is prized by gardeners, and survives well outside its natural range.

Origin/Endemic status: Endemic

Synonymy ⓘ: = K4, NS, POWO, Gaddy & Sakaguchi (2024), Gaddy et al (2019); = Shortia galacifolia Torr. & A.Gray var. galacifolia — FNA8, NE, Davies (1952); < Sherwoodia galacifolia (Torr. & A.Gray) House — S; < Shortia galacifolia Torr. & A.Gray — C, G, RAB, S13, W, Hatley (1977), Scott & Day (1983). Basionym: Shortia galacifolia Torr. & A.Gray 1842

Links to other floras: = Shortia galacifolia var. galacifolia - FNA8

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Wetland Indicator Status:

  • Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
  • Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily ⓘ: 3

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image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Will Stuart | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Bruce A. Sorrie | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
image of plant© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷

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Horticultural Information

NCBG trait

Intro: Erect, rhizomatous and often colonial evergreen perennial of moist slopes, creek banks, and rock outcrops in humid escarpment gorges with high rainfall, generally in deep shade under Rhododendron maximum and R. minus.

Stems: An underground rhizome sends up a rosette of leaves and separate flowering stalks.

Leaves: Leaves in a basal rosette, petiolate, nearly round, 1-3 in. long, with toothed margins, thick and glossy, smooth.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers solitary; nodding on individual reddish stalks; white; 3/4-1 in. long; bell-shaped and consisting of 5 frilly-margined petals, 5 shorter pinkish-red sepals and 5 stamens.

Fruits:

Comments:

Height: 4-8 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect, rhizomatous and often colonial evergreen perennial of moist slopes, creek banks, and rock outcrops in humid escarpment gorges with high rainfall, generally in deep shade under Rhododendron maximum and R. minus.

stems: An underground rhizome sends up a rosette of leaves and separate flowering stalks.

leaves: Leaves in a basal rosette, petiolate, nearly round, 1-3 in. long, with toothed margins, thick and glossy, smooth.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers solitary; nodding on individual reddish stalks; white; 3/4-1 in. long; bell-shaped and consisting of 5 frilly-margined petals, 5 shorter pinkish-red sepals and 5 stamens.

fruits:

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: NC, SC & GA



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