Intro: Erect perennial of openings in moist bottomlands and swamp forests, prairies and woodlands; perhaps mostly on soils derived from mafic or calcareous rocks.

Stems: Stems solitary, light green, minutely hairy or with lines of hairs between leaf nodes; leaks milky sap when bruised.

Leaves: Leaves opposite (6+ pairs), petiolate, oval to elliptic or oval-oblong, 3-6 1/2 in. long, the sides often curling up from the pink central vein, smooth above, softly hairy (at least along veins) beneath.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in terminal cluster of 1-6 rounded umbels, each 2-3 in. wide; deep purple to deep rose (greenish in bud), about 3/4 in. long, consisting of 5 strongly reflexed corolla lobes and a lighter colored central crown--composed of 5 2-parted appendages ("hood" and "horn")--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.

Fruits: Fruit a furry, lance-shaped to oval follicle containing tufted seeds.

Comments:

Height: 1 1/4-3 ft.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Erect perennial of openings in moist bottomlands and swamp forests, prairies and woodlands; perhaps mostly on soils derived from mafic or calcareous rocks.

stems: Stems solitary, light green, minutely hairy or with lines of hairs between leaf nodes; leaks milky sap when bruised.

leaves: Leaves opposite (6+ pairs), petiolate, oval to elliptic or oval-oblong, 3-6 1/2 in. long, the sides often curling up from the pink central vein, smooth above, softly hairy (at least along veins) beneath.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in terminal cluster of 1-6 rounded umbels, each 2-3 in. wide; deep purple to deep rose (greenish in bud), about 3/4 in. long, consisting of 5 strongly reflexed corolla lobes and a lighter colored central crown--composed of 5 2-parted appendages ("hood" and "horn")--surrounding a complex structure of fused anthers and style.

fruits: Fruit a furry, lance-shaped to oval follicle containing tufted seeds.

comments:

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern North America