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NC Native Plant Society:
Plant Details

Polygala lutea

Orange Milkwort, Yellow Milkwort, Red-hot-poker, Candy Weed, Candyroot

Scientific Name:

Polygala lutea

Genus:

Polygala

Species Epithet:

lutea

Common Name:

Orange Milkwort, Yellow Milkwort, Red-hot-poker, Candy Weed, Candyroot

Plant Type

Herb/Wildflower

Life Cycle

Biennial

Plant Family

Polygalaceae (Milkwort Family)

Native/Alien:

NC Native

Size:

0-1 ft.

Bloom Color(s):

Orange, Yellow

Light:

Sun - 6 or more hours of sun per day, Part Shade - 2 to 6 hours of sun per day

Soil Moisture:

Moist

Bloom Time:

April, May, June, July, August, September, October

Growing Area:

Piedmont, Sandhills, Coastal Plain

Habitat Description:

“Wet savannas, ditches, bogs, other wet areas” (Weakley 2015). Rare in NC Piedmont, common in Coastal Plain.

Leaf Arrangement:

Alternate, Basal

Leaf Retention:

Deciduous

Leaf Type:

Leaves veined, not needle-like or scale-like

Leaf Form:

Simple

Life Cycle:

Biennial

Wildlife Value:

Has some wildlife value

Landscape Value:

Not Recommended for home landscapes

State Rank:

S5: Secure (*Key)

Global Rank:

G5 - Secure (*Key)

Polygala lutea flower close-up

image

Jorge Vigueras, August 2010

Polygala lutea, succulent leaves in a basil rosette. Green Swamp.

image

Jorge Vigueras, August 2010

Orange Milkwort in a wet savanna, along with Yellow Pitcherplant, Sarracenia flava.

Look closely. This is a tiny plant!

image

Paynter, Brunswick CO, May 2014

Carolina Beach State Park, New Hanover County, NC

The Scientific Name is Polygala lutea. You will likely hear them called Orange Milkwort, Yellow Milkwort, Red-hot-poker, Candy Weed, Candyroot. This picture shows the  of Polygala lutea

Bettina Darveaux

Flower head of bright orange flowers.

Nick’s Creek Preserve, Moore County, NC

The Scientific Name is Polygala lutea. You will likely hear them called Orange Milkwort, Yellow Milkwort, Red-hot-poker, Candy Weed, Candyroot. This picture shows the Flower head of bright orange flowers. of Polygala lutea

Bettina Darveaux

Multiple flowering stems and fleshy leaves.

Nick’s Creek Preserve, Moore County, NC

The Scientific Name is Polygala lutea. You will likely hear them called Orange Milkwort, Yellow Milkwort, Red-hot-poker, Candy Weed, Candyroot. This picture shows the Multiple flowering stems and fleshy leaves. of Polygala lutea

Bettina Darveaux

Links:

USDA PLANTS Database Record



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