Wildflowers of the United States

White Clintonia, Clinton's Lily, Speckled Woodlily - Clintonia umbellulata

Genus Common Name: Bluebead

Native Status: Native

Monocot Perennial Herb

Clintonia umbellulata - White Clintonia, Clinton's Lily, Speckled Woodlily. Clintonia is a small genus of only 5 species, 4 of which are native to North America - the other one is Asian. Two of the North American species are western, the other two are more eastern. Clintonia umbellulata is a species primarily of the Appalachian Mountains, found from north Georgia and South Carolina northward to western New York. It is a protected plant in New York and Ohio. The other eastern species is Clintonia borealis, which is found at higher elevations of the Appalachian Mountains in the southern end of its range (also north Georgia and South Carolina) but is much more widespread and at lower elevations in the northern tier of states.

Found in:
GA, KY, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, SC, TN, VA, WV

Leave comments on Clintonia umbellulata at this link.

Distribution of Clintonia umbellulata in the United States and Canada:

Map courtesy of The Biota of North America Program.
Map color key
Search Our Database: Enter any portion of the Scientific, Common Name, or both.

Do a general Google search of the entire site:

#ad

Follow USWildflowers on Twitter

Site: Murray County, Ga Date: 2014-May-15	Photographer: Gerald C. Williamson Nikon D7000 Tamron SP 90MM f/2.8 AF Macro
Clintonia umbellulata normally has at least 10 and up to 30 or flowers in the inflorescence. Clintonia borealis, the other eastern species, usually has 8 or fewer flowers, but occasionally as many as 10. This photo only shows 9 flowers, but the coloration of the tepals - white, often spotted purplish brown and/or green towards the tips, as here - tells us this is C. umbellulata, not C. borealis* which has yellow to yellowish green tepals. The inflorescence of all Clintonia species are on a leafless scape.*

Site: Murray County, Ga Date: 2014-May-15	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
White Clintonia has three or four glossy green basal leaves which are up to about a foot long. The floral scape can be up to twice as tall.
Click on the photo for a larger image
Site: GSMNP, Cocke County, TN Date: 2014-June-28	Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D7000
The fruit of White Clintonia are glossy berries with 2 to 4 seeds. They will turn black, as one has done on this plant. All other Clintonia species have fruits that will turn a shade of blue, providing the "Bluebead" common name for the genus.
Click on the photo for a larger image

References used for identification and information:

#ad

Clintonia umbellulata initially published on USWildflowers.com 2014-07-19; Updated 2017-03-02

Commercial / Cookie Notice

Looking for Wildflowers for a specific state? Check here:

All content except USDA Plants Database map Copyright Gerald C. Williamson 2024
Photographs Copyright owned by the named photographer

Code Update 20230302