Polygala curtissii

Common Names

Curtiss Milkwort, Appalachian Milkwort

Summary

Polygala curtissii, Curtiss' Milkwort, is a slender erect annual herb native to the Southeastern United States, typically growing 10-40 cm tall with narrow alternate leaves 1-2 cm long, the inflorescence a terminal spike-like raceme, five sepals form large, showy wings usually rose-purple (occasionally white) with a small tubular flower oriented above the wings, a keel-shaped lower petal and a yellow crest, with persistent bracts remaining on the stalk after fruiting, fruits are rounded capsules, and the species occurs in dry to mesic open habitats including high rocky outcrops, woods borders, old fields, meadows, glades, and disturbed sites, for cultivation and management Polygala curtissii is a native plant of open habitats and is rarely cultivated, it blooms from June to October, germination and seed-bank dynamics are not fully understood, but seeds are dispersed by ants (elaiosome) and may rely on disturbance and canopy openings to create germination microsites, management emphasizes maintaining open habitat and protecting sites from disturbance, and practical landscape uses include native wildflower plantings and habitat restoration in sandy or clay soils of dry to mesic open woods and glades

Lifecycle

Annual

Height

4-16 inches

Spread

0.5 inches

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally Full Sun to Partial Shade; no fixed ideal category.

Soil Type

Sandy soil

Soil Drainage

Dry to mesic, well-drained soils.

Bloom Color

Pink to rose-purple

Bloom Time

Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Other

Growth Rate

Annual plant

Seasons of Interest

Summer and Fall

Propagation Methods

Seeds

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts insect pollinators