Family
Liliaceae
Botanical Name
ALETRIS x tottenii
Plant Common Name
Colicroot
Special Notice
This entry has yet to be reviewed and approved by L2G editors.
General Description
A weed-like rosette of bright green leaves is overlooked until the colicroot produces a wiry flower stem in spring. This herbaceous perennial is native to the American Southeast's coastal plain, a naturally occurring hybrid between the southern colicroot (Aletris obovata) and yellow colicroot (Aletris lutea) where their natural ranges overlap. It naturally grows in moist pinelands, damp grasslands and roadside ditches. Up until the 19th century, roots of these plants were dug up and used as medicine to treat colic.
The leaves arise from the ground to create a basal rosette of attractive light to medium green leaves. Leaf blades are blunt-end lances with parallel veins, revealing its common bond to members of the lily family. Flowering occurs from very early to late spring, depending on climate. A thin, upright flowering stem (called a scape) juts up from the rosette center. In the upper third of the scape, tiny tubular pale yellow to buttery ivory flowers open from the bottom up in the spike. The blossoms may be edged in orange or orange-pink. Each blossom looks mealy and there are six tiny lobes. In fact, the genus name Aletris is a Greek word meaning "miller of corn." Insects pollinate the flowers, leading to small fruits with seeds inside.
Although not usually grown in contrived gardens, conserve a stand of colicroot on your property. The plants prosper in moist to wet sandy soils that have some organic matter and are acidic in pH. Use this natural-hybrid wildflower as a vertical companion to pitcher plants or Venus flytraps in a bog garden.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
10 - 5
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USDA Hardiness Zone
7 - 11
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Plant Type
Perennial
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
6"-14" / 15.2cm - 35.6cm
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Width
5"-8" / 12.7cm - 20.3cm
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Bloom Time
Spring, Late Spring
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Native To
Hybrid Origin, Southeastern United States
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Bog Garden, Wildflower
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
Yes
