Wikimedia Commons
Diapensiaceae
Oconee Bells
Shortia galacifolia
Botanical treasure and elusive beauty.
- Family
- Diapensiaceae
- Genus
- Shortia
- Native to
- southeastern United States
- Bloom season
- Early Spring
- Type
- herbaceous perennial
- Height
- 4-8 in
- Sunlight
- part shade to full shade
- Soil
- moist, acidic, humus-rich
- Water
- moderate to high
- Hardiness
- 5-8
- Lifespan
- perennial
Did you know
- Asa Gray described it from a herbarium specimen in 1842 but it was not found alive until 1877 — a 35-year botanical mystery.
- It grows wild only in a few mountain counties of North and South Carolina near the Oconee region.
- The glossy, round evergreen leaves turn brilliant bronze in autumn, rivaling the flowers for beauty.
- It is so rare in the wild that many populations are now protected by law on federal and state lands.
- Japanese botanists recognized its close kinship with Asian Shortia species, supporting the ancient land-bridge connection.
Color meanings
0
rarity
1
perseverance
2
rediscovery