Back in my life in Ohio, signs of spring were always plentiful, from new growth in the garden to the influx of colorful neo-tropical songbirds, from the treasure hunts for morel mushrooms to the warm evening chorus of Spring Peepers, from the changing constellations in the night sky to the progression of spring wildflowers. One of the springiest, one of the most anticipated signs of spring was the Spring Beauties.
In the woods near my home they were abundant, spectacular even, growing in large colonies, carpeting clearings and thickets, bringing to mind fairy tales and wee folk and the magic of the changing seasons. Other wildflowers should be so fanciful.
A delicate, low plant with clusters of white to pinkish flowers, Spring Beauties (Claytonia virginica) are members of the Purslane Family (Portulacaceae). They bloom throughout the spring, and can be found from Ontario to southern New England, down to Georgia, west into Texas and north into Minnesota. Their slender, linear leaves separate them from Carolina Spring Beauties (C. caroliniana), which have much broader leaves.
In addition to their fey charm and that they are heralds of spring, Spring Beauties are known for their palatable starchy tubers. They have a sweet, nutty flavor, and were favored by many Native American tribes, as well as early colonists. They are typically boiled in salt water, then peeled and served in butter and herbs. They can also be baked, fried, or mashed. The young leaves can also be eaten, either raw or cooked.
The generic (Claytonia) is for John Clayton, 1694 to 1773. Not a botanist as such, his passion for it was profound, and his collections of plants were systemized and listed in (Flora Virginica), by Johann Friedrich Gronovius. It was published in two volumes, in 1739 and 1743. Some folk names for both species of Spring Beauties remind me, I have not been alone in the nature of my regard for these lovely little plants. Carolina Spring Beauties were also known as Rose-elf, while Spring Beauties were known as Fairy-spuds.
Though I never noticed an aroma to the Spring Beauties of Ohio, I was treated to the sweet perfume of Carolina Spring Beauties in North Carolina. One day in particularly has stayed with me. Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, I came upon a woodland floor covered with Carolina Spring Beauties and Wake Robin. It was a lush and spectacular Eden of wildflowers, and as I strolled among them, taking photos, admiring, sighing deeply, I breathed in that subtle sweet fragrance. It was an aroma worthy of something once known as Rose-elf. Perhaps it was that perfume which lead to the name.
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