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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Aplectrum hyemale

Puttyroot, Adam and Eve

Scientific Name:

Aplectrum hyemale

Genus:

Aplectrum

Species Epithet:

hyemale

Common Name:

Puttyroot, Adam and Eve

Plant Type

Herb/Wildflower

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Orchidaceae (Orchid Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

0-1 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

Green

Light:

Less than 2 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Moist

Bloom Time:

May, June

Growing Area:

Mountains, Piedmont

Habitat Description:

Rich, mesic forests.

Leaf Arrangement:

Basal

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

No known wildlife value

Landscape Value:

Not Recommended for home landscapes

State Rank:

S4: Apparently secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G5 - Secure (*Key)

Notes:

The leaves, typically one or two, appear in November and die back around March. The bloom stalk then appears in May - June.

Entire Plant

Note new bloom stalk, last year's bloom stalk and dead leaves

image

D McAdoo

Blooms

image

D McAdoo

Blooms

image

Jennette Lundy

Old Seed Pods

February 2008

image

Tom Harville

Leaf

December 2004

image

Tom Harville

Note the narrow white striping

The "Adam" bulb with the leaf and the "eve" bulb

image

Martha Baskin
Natahala, NC

Seed Pod

image

Martha Baskin
Natahala, NC

The capsules are ridged, have a pointed tip, and bend downward on the flower stalk.

Macon County, NC

The Scientific Name is Aplectrum hyemale. You will likely hear them called Puttyroot, Adam and Eve. This picture shows the The capsules are ridged, have a pointed tip, and bend downward on the flower stalk. of Aplectrum hyemale

Bettina Darveaux

At the time of flowering, the distinctively striped basal leaf is not present. The pale yellow-green to purplish flowers quickly droop downward after blooming.

Macon County, NC

The Scientific Name is Aplectrum hyemale. You will likely hear them called Puttyroot, Adam and Eve. This picture shows the At the time of flowering, the distinctively striped basal leaf is not present. The pale yellow-green to purplish flowers quickly droop downward after blooming. of Aplectrum hyemale

Bettina Darveaux

"Best Friends". Wrinkled leaves have conspicuously striped narrow longitudinal bands of green and white.

Orange County, NC

The Scientific Name is Aplectrum hyemale. You will likely hear them called Puttyroot, Adam and Eve. This picture shows the

Bettina Darveaux

Leaf with last season's spent flower stalk. The empty dried capsules are fairly large in size.

Seven Mile Creek Natural Area, Orange County, NC

The Scientific Name is Aplectrum hyemale. You will likely hear them called Puttyroot, Adam and Eve. This picture shows the Leaf with last season's spent flower stalk. The empty dried capsules are fairly large in size. of Aplectrum hyemale

Bettina Darveaux

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record

eFloras Plants
 



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