At Home With The Clinton’s In Greenbrier County

Please forgive my somewhat ambiguous, possibly misleading, almost confusing and a tad deceptive title for this article. But at least it got your attention didn’t it? Yes, you were supposed to imagine that this was a story about Bil & Hil relocating to our little paradise in the mountains. But, nooo, it’s not! Actually, what you’re about to read is a story about a plant named Clintonia, a plant that just happens to be named for another somewhat famous politician, DeWitt Clinton (March 2, 1769 - February 11, 1828). DeWitt Clinton was an American politician and naturalist (Now there’s a couple of words you don’t associate these days politician + naturalist. Think of how much better things would be if you could.) who served as a US Senator and was the 6th Governor of New York State. In the latter capacity, he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal. Clinton was the leader of New York's People's Party and was a major rival of Martin Van Buren, who was the Attorney General of New York during part of Clinton's governorship. Clinton believed that infrastructure improvements could transform American life, drive economic growth, and encourage political participation. He heavily influenced the economic development of the New York State and the United States. But you're not here for a history lesson, you're here to learn about a new plant, aren't you?

All kidding aside folks, Clintonia umbellulata, aka “Clinton’s Lily”, aka “Blue Bead Lily”, aka “Speckled Wood Lily”, is a Greenbrier County native that finds its home in many places in Greenbrier County. Actually, these plants are not true lilies, but are in the lily family. If you were to stumble across a colony in the woods, you’d think that you had discovered a treasure trove of native orchids, as the ground hugging, slender foliage of both species of Clintonia is very orchid-like, even similar to that of a tropical orchid. Yes, you heard correctly, I did say “both species” as there is another plant that shares a home in the genus Claytonia, Claytonia borealis, but more about that later.

The species name, umbellulata describes the shape of the flower, which is reminiscent of an inverted umbrella. The root of the word is “Umbel” which is an inflorescence that consists of a number of short flower stalks (called pedicels) which spread from a common point, somewhat like umbrella ribs. Now you know the origin of the word umbrella.

As far as the common names go, we’ve already covered “Clinton’s Lily”, that’s pretty obvious, but “Speckled Wood Lily”? I never quite understood that moniker until this spring when I looked closely at a couple of specimens in my own woodland garden, or what I refer to as my “Plant Zoo”. The flowers on these particular plants had lovely purple speckles around the edges of the petals. They were always there, but I never really looked closely at them. The next common name or (as I’m trying to start a trend by substituting the word “nickname” for “common name”, “common name” is so, well…….. common) is, “Blue Bead Lily” and this is another no brainer. After those lovely white, speckled, flowers are visited by pollinating insects they slowly, over the summer, develop their seed berries, which are so dark blue that they almost look black, especially in the shade that you’ll find them growing in.

Clintonia borealis, the “other” Clintonia species native to Greenbrier County, looks almost identical in leaf, but when in flower, they don’t even look like cousins. This species of Clintonia has even more “Nicknames” than Clintonia umbellulata. They are “Blue-bead Lily” also “Clinton's Lily”, “Corn Lily”, “Cow Tongue”, “Yellow Beadlily”, “Yellow Bluebeadlily”, “Snakeberry”, “Dogberry”, and “Straw Lily”. Phew! The color of the flowers on Clintonia borealis are a soft yellowish-green and appear to fly like flags the way they’re attached to the stem. The color of the seed heads are a lighter blue than Clintonia umbellulata. BTW, the species name “borealis” means north and refers to the fact that this plant is found in more northern climes than southern.

Clintonias are very easy to grow in the home shade garden, light shade or dappled sunlight and average soil moisture, slightly on the acid side are the conditions they gravitate to in the wild.

Although there is an abundance of both Clintonia species growing right here in Greenbrier County and just about every other county in the eastern part of the state, you can also find two other species on the left coast. Clintonia andrewsiana is a California and Oregon native and Clintonia uniflora, is native to California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and several western provinces in Canada.

If you cross the Pacific, you’ll find the Asian counterpart to our natives, Clintonia udensis in China, Korea, Japan, Myanmar, The Himalayas and the Russian Far East.

So get out in the woods and look for those 2 to 4 orchid like leaves hugging the ground, and depending on what time of year you’re out, speckled white flowers or dark blue/black seed heads.

Until out next Plant Safari together,

Peace out,

Glickster