Carolina Redroot
Lachnanthes caroliana
- Native to:
- Canada, Cuba, Southwest Caribbean, United States
Bob Peterson (www.flickr.com) from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Haemodoraceae
- Genus:
- Lachnanthes
- Species:
- Lachnanthes caroliana
- USDA Symbol:
- LACA5
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 90 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow, red
Reported Fauna Sightings
Butterflies:Brazilian skipper (Calpodes ethlius), Clouded Skipper (Lerema accius), Common Buckeye (Junonia coenia), Delaware Skipper (Anatrytone logan), Fiery Skipper (Hylephila phyleus), Gray Hairstreak (Strymon melinus), Hedone vibex, Horace's Duskywing (Erynnis horatius), Ocola Skipper (Panoquina ocola), Palamedes Swallowtail (Papilio palamedes), Swarthy Skipper (Nastra lherminier), Tawny-edged Skipper (Polites themistocles), Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from rhizomes following fire; common in fire-maintained wet pine savannas and flatwoods.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- sandy, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- commonly found in wetland areas
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 14–42 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and keep consistently moist.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI