Triosteum perfoliatum Linnaeus. Common name: Perfoliate Horse-gentian. Phenology: Late May-early Jun; Aug-Oct. Habitat: Woodlands and forests in circumneutral soils, particularly those over mafic or calcareous rocks. Distribution: MA west to MN, south to n. SC, n. GA (Jones & Coile 1988), and OK.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, F, Il, K4, Mi, Mo2, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, S, Tat, Tn, Va, W, WV, Ferguson (1966a); = Triosteum perfoliatum L. var. perfoliatum — G, GrPl. Basionym: Triosteum perfoliatum L. 1753
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Heliophily ⓘ: 5
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© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Sonnia Hill | Original Image ⭷
© Joey Shaw source | Original Image ⭷
© Gary P. Fleming | Original Image ⭷
© Alan Cressler: Triosteum perfoliatum, Floyd County, Georgia 2 by Alan Cressler source | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
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Horticultural Information
Intro: Coarse, erect perennial of woodlands and forests on circumneutral soils, particularly those over mafic or calcareous rocks.
Stems: Stems unbranched, soft-hairy.
Leaves: Leaves opposite, each pair at right angles to the pair below it, and each pair joined at the base and encompassing the stem. Leaves broadly oval, 4-9 in. long, with slightly wavy edges and soft-hairy (especially beneath).
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers solitary or in few-flowered clusters tucked into leaf axils; sessile; reddish-brown; 3/8-1/2 in. long; tubular, with 5 rounded lobes, 5 downy narrow sepals that may be longer than the corolla, and a conspicuous light green style.
Fruits: Fruit a sessile, yellow, round to oval drupe.
Comments: The similar Triosteum aurantiacum var. aurantiacum has leaves that do not connect at the base and encircle the stem and a style the same length or slightly shorter than the corolla tube.
Height: 2-4 ft.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Coarse, erect perennial of woodlands and forests on circumneutral soils, particularly those over mafic or calcareous rocks.
stems: Stems unbranched, soft-hairy.
leaves: Leaves opposite, each pair at right angles to the pair below it, and each pair joined at the base and encompassing the stem. Leaves broadly oval, 4-9 in. long, with slightly wavy edges and soft-hairy (especially beneath).
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers solitary or in few-flowered clusters tucked into leaf axils; sessile; reddish-brown; 3/8-1/2 in. long; tubular, with 5 rounded lobes, 5 downy narrow sepals that may be longer than the corolla, and a conspicuous light green style.
fruits: Fruit a sessile, yellow, round to oval drupe.
comments: The similar Triosteum aurantiacum var. aurantiacum has leaves that do not connect at the base and encircle the stem and a style the same length or slightly shorter than the corolla tube.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern United States
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