This website is reader-supported. I earn commissions at no additional cost to you if you purchase using the affiliate links provided below. (more info)
Spring Beauty
Claytonia sarmentosa (C.A. Mey.) B.L. Rob
Alt. Names:
Montia sarmentosa
Alaska springbeauty
Genus: Claytonia (springbeauty)
Family: Montiaceae
Order: Caryophyllales
Duration: Perennial
Uses: Entire plant is edible and makes a good salad addition. The bulbous root is high in starch and often cooked.
Alaska Stickers on Amazon
Identification – Spring Beauty
Spring Beauty is a small plant with stems (runners) 1-20 cm (0.5-7 in) in length and delicate magenta or white flower 15-20 mm in diameter. The flower has 5 petals that can be white or magenta, often wth darker magenta veins and yellow at the base. The stamen are also often magenta. The leaves are basal, elliptic, and green to yellow.
Similar Species
According to Kewscience there are currently 32 accepted species of the genus Claytonia L., six of which are native to Alaska (as of 2020).
Distribution and Habitat
Claytonia sarmentosa lives in wet tundra, or moist alpine soil and meadows where there is lots of sun or only partial shade. It is native to Alaska, Yukon, and British Columbia and parts of Siberia. It is not found in Southeast Alaska, but the similar species Claytonia sibirica with smaller flowers is.
References
Claytonia L., Kewscience: Plants of the World online
Claytonia sarmentosa C. A. Meyer, Nouv. Mém. Soc. Imp. Naturalistes Moscou. 1: 137. 1829., Flora of North America – www.eFloras.org
Claytonia sarmentosa C.A. Mey., ITIS Database
Claytonia sarmentosa C.A. Mey. Alaska springbeauty, USDA Database
