WorldFloraDB - Medeola virginiana

Characteristics

Rhizome 3–8 cm, succulent, cucumber-flavored; stem erect, 3–7 dm, ± invested when young with flocculent wool which persists about the lf-bases; lower lvs 5–11 per whorl, oblong-oblanceolate, 6–12 cm, a fourth or a third as wide, acuminate at both ends; upper lvs normally 3 per whorl, ovate, 3–6 cm, half to two-thirds as wide, acuminate, becoming bright red at the more rounded base; umbel 3–9-fld; pedicels spreading or deflexed, 15–25 mm, becoming red; tep 7 mm; berry dark purple or black; 2n=14. Rich woods; N.S. and Que. to Mich. and se. Wis., s. to Va. and n. Mo., and in the mts. to Ga. and Ala.; also in Fla. and reputedly se. La. May–July.

More

A small herb. It is in the lily family. It keeps growing from year to year. The rhizomes are 3-8 cm long by 1 cm wide. They are thick and white. The stems are 20-90 cm tall. The young stems are hairy. There are 5-10 leaves in a ring in the middle and another ring at the top. The lower leaves are simple and widest near the tip. They are 10 cm long. The smaller upper leaves are widest near the base. The flowers are in clusters at the tip of the stem. There are 3-9 flowers in a cluster. The petals are pale green. The fruit are small berries that are dark blue. They are 5-10 mm across.

Rhizomes 3–8 × 1 cm, decaying every year. Stems 2–9 dm, white-woolly when young, 1–3 deciduous bracts below proximal leaf whorl. Leaf blades sessile or short-petiolate, becoming purple-tinged basally in fruit, 5–9(–12) in proximal whorl, 6–16 × 1.5–5 cm, 3(–5) in distal whorl, 2.5–5 × 1.5–4 cm. Tepals yellowish green, 6–10 mm. Fruits (5–)8–10(–14) mm diam. Seeds 3 mm. 2n = 14.

Life form	perennial
Growth form	herb
Growth support	free-standing
Foliage retention
Sexuality	hermaphrodite
Pollination	-
Spread	-
Mature width (meter)	-
Mature height (meter)	0.25
Root system	rhizome
Rooting depth (meter)	-
Root diameter (meter)	-
Flower color	-
Blooming months	-
Fruit color	-
Fruiting months	-
Nitrogen fixer	-
Photosynthetic pathway	c3

Environment

It is a temperate plant. It grows in swamps and along the edges of streams and lakes. It is best in rich soil. It suits hardiness zones 3-8.

More

Rich woods, margins of swamps and bogs.

Light
Soil humidity
Soil texture
Soil acidity
Soil nutriment	-
Hardiness (USDA)

Usage

The white rhizomes are crisp and succulent and have a taste like cucumber. They can be eaten raw or boiled and served with butter or vinegar. They can be made into dill pickles.

Uses	medicinal
Edible	rhizomes roots
Therapeutic use	Anticonvulsive (fruit), Pediatric Aid (fruit), Anticonvulsive (leaf), Pediatric Aid (leaf), Witchcraft Medicine (root), Panacea (unspecified)
Human toxicity	-
Animal toxicity	-

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds or division of the tubers.

Mode	seedlings
Germination duration (days)	-
Germination temperacture (C°)	-
Germination luminosity	-
Germination treatment	-
Minimum temperature (C°)	-
Optimum temperature (C°)	-
Size	-
Vigor	-
Productivity	-