Claytonia parviflora

Common Names

Streambank Springbeauty, Miner’s Lettuce, Littleleaf Miner's Lettuce, Littleleaf Springbeauty, Narrow-Leaved Miner's Lettuce

Summary

Claytonia parviflora is an annual herb in the Montiaceae native to western North America, with a range from southwestern Canada to Mexico including the Aleutian Islands. It has slender stems 1–30 cm long, basal leaves 1–18 cm long, cauline leaves up to about 6 cm that may be fused into a disk, and a variable inflorescence bearing 3–40 white or pink flowers with petals 1–6 mm long; sepals 1.5–4 mm, fruit capsules 1.5–4 mm, and seeds 1.2–2.3 mm, generally self-pollinated.

Ecologically, the species occurs in vernal moist and often disturbed habitats below roughly 2300 m, and flowers from March to June with propagation by seed. Common names include streambank springbeauty and miner's lettuce, and distribution spans western North America from British Columbia to Baja California, including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, among others, with subspecies parviflora and viridis recognized. The plant can form mats and tolerates cold down to 5°F; ethnobotany notes describe greens as delicious eaten raw, indicating culinary potential.

Lifecycle

Annual

Height

0.5-12 inches

Spread

0.5-12 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 5

Sunlight Requirements

Partial Shade and Full Sun; no single ideal category according to sources

Soil Type

Moist, loamy clay soil typical of a stream bank, humus-rich, pH 5.2–7.3.

Soil Drainage

Moist but well-drained soil

Soil pH

5.2-7.3, Acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

Pink or White

Bloom Time

Spring

Foliage Color

Green to pink

Fall Foliage Color

Red

Growth Rate

Annual

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

No information about attracting bees, hummingbirds, other pollinators, or birds, butterflies: 0 confirmed, 2 likely