Houstonia purpurea L.

Summer Bluet; Venus' Pride; Purple Bluet

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Summer Bluet is a native herbaceous perennial in the Madder family (Rubiaceae). It can be found in all but the southern-most counties of Alabama. Summer Bluet occurs along streams, on hardwood floodplains, and in mesic to moist hardwood forests. It is a perennial from a short rhizome or taproot. Leaves of the basal rosette are usually absent at flowering. Stems are 5-15 inches in height, green or purplish in color, 4-angled, and pubescent. Stem leaves are sessile, ovate to lanceolate or elliptic in outline, pubescent (at least along the major veins and often with marginal cilia), with 3-7 obvious veins. Flowers are produced in terminal cymes. The calyx has 4 lanceolate lobes that are longer than the corolla tube. The corolla is funnelform with 4 lobes that are shorter than the tube. The inside of the corolla is pubescent. Flower color ranges from white to deep lavender. The fruit is a bi-lobed capsule. Summer Bluet is occasionally available from wildflower nurseries. It prefers full shade to partial sun and a moist loamy soil. Summer Bluet is generally short-lived but will re-seed itself.—A. Diamond

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Native

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