Aplectrum hyemale (Muhlenberg ex Willdenow) Torrey. Common name: Puttyroot, Adam-and-Eve. Phenology: May-Jun. Habitat: Rich, mesic forests. Distribution: QC and MN, south to SC, GA, n. AL, AR, and OK. We find no documentation for a report for s. AL (Conecuh County) (Kartesz 2022).
ID notes: Aplectrum leaf blade are narrowly elliptic, 10-20 cm long, the blade > 2x as long as wide, tapering to both ends, and notably plicate along the very prominent, white, cartilaginous veins (vs. Tipularia, with leaf blade ovate, < 10 cm long, < 2× as long as wide, truncate to cordate at the base, acute-apiculate at the apex, and not notably plicate along the veins).
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Synonymy ⓘ: = Ar, C, Can, F, FNA26, G, GW1, Il, K4, Mi, Mo1, NE, NS, NY, Pa, POWO, RAB, S, S13, Tat, Tn, Va, W, Correll (1950), Luer (1972). Basionym: Cymbidium hyemale Muhl. ex Willd. 1805
Links to other floras: = Aplectrum hyemale - FNA26
Show parent genus | Show parent in key(s)
Wetland Indicator Status:
- Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
- Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
- Great Plains: FAC
- Midwest: FAC
- Northcentral & Northeast: FAC
Heliophily ⓘ: 2
Hover over a shape, letter, icon, or arrow on the map for definition or see the legend.
© Keith Bradley | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Scott Ward, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Scott Ward source CC-BY | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Alan M. Cressler | Original Image ⭷
© Richard & Teresa Ware CC-BY-NC, permission granted to NCBG | Original Image ⭷Feedback
See something missing or incorrect about Aplectrum hyemale? 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: Erect perennial found in rich, moist forests.
Stems: Stem a stout, pale green to purple-green, leafless (except for some tiny bracts) flowering stalk, emerging in spring separately from the autumn-winter leaves.
Leaves: Leaves 1 per plant, emerging in fall and lying on ground; oval, to 8 in. long, bluish-green with raised, white, parallel lines; withers by spring.
Inforescence:
Flowers: Flowers (3-15) arranged in a loose raceme topping the scape; greenish-yellow with magenta highlights, 3/4-1 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and consisting of 3 narrowly oblong-lance-shaped sepals and 3 central unequal petals, 2 of which form a "hood" over the reproductive parts, and the bottom one forming a scallop-edged, white and pink lip.
Fruits:
Comments: Fruit an ellipsoid capsule.
Height: 8-20 in.
plant sale text:
bloom table text:
description: Erect perennial found in rich, moist forests.
stems: Stem a stout, pale green to purple-green, leafless (except for some tiny bracts) flowering stalk, emerging in spring separately from the autumn-winter leaves.
leaves: Leaves 1 per plant, emerging in fall and lying on ground; oval, to 8 in. long, bluish-green with raised, white, parallel lines; withers by spring.
inflorescence:
flowers: Flowers (3-15) arranged in a loose raceme topping the scape; greenish-yellow with magenta highlights, 3/4-1 in. long, bilaterally symmetric and consisting of 3 narrowly oblong-lance-shaped sepals and 3 central unequal petals, 2 of which form a "hood" over the reproductive parts, and the bottom one forming a scallop-edged, white and pink lip.
fruits:
comments: Fruit an ellipsoid capsule.
cultural notes:
germination code:
native range: eastern North America
0 unsaved edits on this page.