Linnaea borealis
A circumboreal flowering plant in the honeysuckle family, it is the sole species in its genus, notable for its slender prostrate stems with paired pendulous pale pink flowers and a tendency to spread clonally.
Common Names
Twinflower, Twin Flower, Longtube Twinflower, Twin Sisters, Western Twinflower
Summary
Linnaea borealis, Twinflower, is an evergreen creeping subshrub in the honeysuckle family, it forms slender, prostrate stolons that run above ground to create dense clonal patches, with stems 20–40 cm long and a maximum height around 8–16 cm, leaves are opposite and small, and it bears paired, pendant pinkish-white, bell-shaped flowers on a distinctive Y-shaped stem; the flowers are fragrant and attract pollinators, it has circumboreal distribution in moist subarctic to cool temperate forests and tolerates partial shade on moist, acidic soils, it spreads primarily by stolons, while seed production is limited and seeds do not persist well, with pollination by native bees and syrphid wasps and self-fertility rarely observed, requiring cross-pollination, for cultivation, it serves as a ground cover in woodland and rock gardens, prefers cool, shaded sites with moist, acidic soil, and propagates by division or cuttings; it is not considered invasive in the USA.
Lifecycle
Perennial
Height
8-16 inches
Spread
1.5-3.5 feet
Hardiness Zones
Zones 3-9
Sunlight Requirements
Ideally partial shade, tolerates full sun, partial sun, and full shade.
Soil Type
No single ideal soil exists; tolerates a wide range, but commonly moist, well-drained soil that is acidic or humus-rich, typically loam.
Soil Drainage
Well-drained, slightly acidic loamy soil that remains moist but is not waterlogged.
Soil pH
4.0-5.5, Acidic soil
Bloom Color
Pink to white
Bloom Time
Summer (June to September)
Foliage Color
Dark green on the upper surface with paler underside
Fall Foliage Color
No fall foliage color; evergreen leaves stay green year-round.
Leaf Lifecycle
Evergreen broadleaf
Growth Rate
About 30–50 cm per year
Seasons of Interest
Spring and Summer
Propagation Methods
Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering
Attracts Wildlife
Attracts bees, butterflies, and other pollinators
Taxonomy
- Taxonomic Rank
- Species
- Author
- L.
- Publication
- Sp. Pl. : 631 (1753)
Superior Taxa
- Kingdom
- Plantae
- Subkingdom
- Pteridobiotina
- Phylum
- Angiosperms
- Order
- Dipsacales
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Genus
- Linnaea
Inferior Taxa
Linnaea borealis subsp. longiflora
Synonyms
Linnaea australis Linnaea foveolata Linnaea amoenula Linnaea albiloba Linnaea longiflora Linnaea sulcata Linnaea tenuiflora Linnaea tenuisulcata Linnaea jugosa Linnaea subjugosa Linnaea vicina Linnaea pseudoproterantha Linnaea pyrrosema Linnaea subviolascens Linnaea rotundata Linnaea subconfluens Linnaea roseoalba Linnaea borealis f. arctica Linnaea borealis var. borealis Linnaea borealis subsp. borealis Linnaea americana f. candicans Linnaea tenuisignata Linnaea parvisignata Linnaea subsulcata