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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Parnassia caroliniana

Carolina Grass-of-Parnassus, Savanna Parnassia, Eyebright

Scientific Name:

Parnassia caroliniana

Genus:

Parnassia

Species Epithet:

caroliniana

Common Name:

Carolina Grass-of-Parnassus, Savanna Parnassia, Eyebright

Plant Type

Herb/Wildflower

Life Cycle

Perennial

Plant Family

Parnassiaceae (Grass-Of-Parnassus Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

1-3 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

White

Light:

Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Wet

Bloom Time:

September, October, November

Growing Area:

Sandhills, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

Wet longleaf pine, pond pine, or pond cypress savannas (especially but not strictly where shallowly underlain by coquina limestone), sandhill seepage bogs…In NC, locally common in three small areas, centered around Maple Hill (Pender and Onslow counties), Old Dock (Columbus and Brunswick counties), and the Green Swamp (Brunswick County).” (Weakley 2015). Rare in NC Coastal Plain.

Leaf Arrangement:

Basal

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Wildlife Value:

Has some wildlife value

Landscape Value:

Not Recommended for home landscapes

State Rank:

S2: Imperiled (*Key)

Global Rank:

G3 - Vulnerable (*Key)

State Status:

T: Threatened (*Key)

Federal Status:

FSC - Federal Special Concern (*Key)

Grass of Parnassus

In the savanna enviornment

image

Tom Harville

It takes some serious searching to find this plant without the blooms tipping you off.

Leaves

image

Tom Harville

Bud

image

Tom Harville

Bloom

image

Tom Harville
Oct 08

Bloom

Nearly two weeks later

image

Tom Harville

The Petals Have Fallen Off

image

Tom Harville

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record



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