Clintonia borealis (Bluebead)
| Also known as: | Yellow Bluebead Lily, Yellow Clintonia, Corn Lily |
|---|---|
| Genus: | Clintonia |
| Family: | Colchicaceae (Autumn-crocus) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | part shade, shade; moist woods, swamps |
| Bloom season: | May - June |
| Plant height: | 6 to 16 inches |
| Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FAC MW: FAC NCNE: FAC |
| MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
| National distribution (click map to enlarge): |  |
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Detailed Information
Flower: 
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/yellow/bluebead_0525_142226.jpg)
Flowers are in groups of 2 to 6 at the end of a long naked stem that sprouts from the base of the plant. Individual flowers are up to 1 inch long and a typical lily bell shape, 6 tepals (petals) that flare out, 6 long stamens with yellow tips and a long straight style. The color is yellow to yellowish green. The flowers tend to nod down. Each plant has a single stem of flowers.
Leaves:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/yellow/bluebead_0608_110836.jpg)
There are 2 to 4 leaves around the base of the plant, each up to 8 inches long and 3 inches wide with a pointed tip and tapering at the base. There is a distinct central vein and faint parallel veins. The surface is glossy.
Fruit:
![[photo of fruit]](/udata/r9ndp23q/pd/clintonia-borealis_001.jpg)
Fruit is a berry about ¼ inch in diameter that ripens to a deep blue color, and is where the common name originates.
Notes:
Bluebead grows in clumps and can form large colonies. A pretty common species, it's hard to avoid coming across it in just about any moist woods, bog or swamp north of the Metro. Formerly in the Liliaceae (Lily) family, Clintonia has been reassigned to the Colchicaceae (Autumn-crocus) family.
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More photos
a colony of Bluebead plantsPhotos by K. Chayka taken at Vadnais/Snail Lake Regional Park, Ramsey County, and in Anoka County. Other photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
on: 2010-04-26 23:18:04
I found several clumps in the untouched oak woodlands behind my house.
on: 2010-05-01 19:25:12
I've found hundreds of clumps of this plant in the woods while camping up the Arrowhead Trail (north of Grand Marais).
on: 2011-02-09 15:19:06
I have a nice patch of them growing in my shade garden.I love the glossy green leaves and little yellow flowers.
on: 2011-06-19 12:03:57
The Yellow Bluebead is in full bloom this week along the Superior Hiking Trail. Very lovely!
on: 2011-06-28 16:58:21
I have many (probably thousands) of these, growing in shady, swampy, wooded areas. I am wondering if the blue berries they produce in late summer are poisonous? The berries look a lot like blueberries...really, big, beautiful blue berries. I wondered why none of the forest critters ate the berries, until I tasted one. They are extremely bitter.
on: 2012-05-15 05:02:13
May 13th just north of Akeley I found one sending up a flower stem.
on: 2012-05-15 17:13:33
I found your site very helpful. We discovered a plant with a yellow flower in a small area of our lake cabin and did not know what it was. I entered a simple description and your site showed me what the wildflower was. It was a Bluebead and your information helped us identify it. Thank you.
on: 2012-05-17 08:41:33
Found these growing at several locations along the hiking trails at Banning.
on: 2012-05-28 16:15:39
Very pretty, dainty flowers. We found them in an area near the lake surrounded by large red pine.
on: 2012-06-15 17:10:14
We found this bluebead growing and blooming in a low spot in our yard at the cabin near Breezy Point, MN. This is the first time in the twenty years we have been there. A few years ago we found a ladyslipper growing at the other end of the low spot. It came up for about three years and hasn't come back up since.
on: 2013-06-27 11:16:00
Yesterday I saw a big patch of these dainty little flowers nestled under a group of trees at the entrance to Grand Portage State Park near the Canada/USA border,
on: 2015-06-11 13:51:23
Found some of these in the deeper but not brushy woodlot last few days.
on: 2016-05-29 22:36:55
Found these today in my woods for the first time. There in a shady moist area.
on: 2016-06-03 15:08:35
We have large groups of them this year, out in our woods! They are beautiful!
on: 2016-06-03 19:40:02
Lots of this at Itasca State Park earlier this week.
on: 2018-06-08 13:43:45
Growing among Lily-of-the-Valley about 15' from the shoreline.
on: 2019-06-09 18:40:36
Growing in a cluster near where the Showy Ladyslipper display is.
on: 2019-08-06 00:19:44
Found these growing in the forest on a trail in Gooseberry Falls State Park
on: 2020-06-09 14:33:55
Found June 9, 2020 at the Bog Walk trail in Lake Bemidji State Park in Bemidji, MN.
on: 2021-05-30 19:46:27
Grows wild in many places in the forest I own but today I found 2 plants under red pines I planted for a windbreak 20 years ago. The hayfield is giving up.
on: 2021-06-21 09:16:40
All over the woods and along the roads here. Very pretty! Mostly on west-facing slopes, soaking up that afternoon sun.
on: 2022-08-21 07:56:32
We have at least one small patch in our dense heavy woods. I love the plant's wide smooth leaves, the little yellow flowers and the blue berries!
on: 2022-10-03 15:19:21
I would like to purchase seeds. I live in Minnetonka Minnesota. Where can I buy them?
on: 2022-10-03 15:39:00
Val, Minnesota Wildflowers does not track who sells what, so ask around native plant nurseries that serve Minnesota.
on: 2023-06-05 17:58:26
Found in abundance all along the Dr. Robert's Trail!
on: 2023-06-10 11:39:01
We saw these growing and blooming on the trail to Shovel Point on 6/8/2023.