Claytonia sibirica
Candyflower, also known as miner’s lettuce, is a native groundcover with white to pink candy-striped flowers and dark green, semi-succulent, edible leaves. It grows as an annual or short-lived perennial, but will reseed readily, forming lush, self-sustaining patches of groundcover in woodland gardens. It puts on an impressive show of adorable blooms; occasionally beginning in mild winter months, coming into full force by spring and holding through summer.
- Plant type/canopy layer: deciduous, annual or short-lived perennial, herbaceous plant
- Size at maturity: 0-1' high, spreads by seed to form a groundcover
- Light requirements: part-sun to full shade
- Moisture requirements: moist soil, prefers well-drained
- Bloom time: January - September (May - August in the Portland Metro area)
- Growth rate/ease: fast growing, easy to grow
- Wildlife support: flowers attract and support bees and other insect pollinators
- Native habitat/range: common in moist places in forests, streambanks, along coast and to mid-elevations; shaded swamps, seeps, and wet meadows up to 2000m across the Pacific Northwest - but not in the arid areas of central Washington and Oregon. Portland Plant List - yes.
- Special features & uses: groundcover; leaves are edible raw in salads and as a sauteed green; landscape uses include woodland gardens and shady raingardens
Gardening with Candyflower: This succulent groundcover requires most to entirely shady areas with moist, well-drained soil, making it an ideal and charming addition to woodland gardens, streambanks, and shady raingardens. It combines beautifully with ferns, wild ginger and false Solomon’s seal.
Photo Credit 1 & 4: Nikkie West, Sparrowhawk Native Plants
Photo Credit 2: "Claytonia sibirica (Candy Flower)" by S. Rae is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Photo Credit 3: "20170529_6626 Claytonia sibirica" by chipmunk_1 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0