Submitted by Kathy Fell
On one of my recent walks about the gardens, I spotted a
splash of pink. I noticed one or two of
these plants a few years ago and tried to remember not to “weed out” the plant
after seeds had set. I was hoping it
would spread around. I looked it up and
found it to be Sabitia angularis; commonly known as Rose Pink. This is one of the plants featured in the up-coming
“Native Plants for Virginia’s Southern Piedmont” guide.
Rose Pinks are a biennial, which explains why they are
always in a different spot in the garden each year. The plant forms a low
rosette the first year. The second year,
it grows between 1 and 3 ft tall. Bright
pink to white flowers bloom from May to September. Rose Pinks are native across the Southern
Piedmont and most of Virginia. Naturally
found in open woods, fields, and meadows, they tolerate a wide range of light
and moisture conditions. The nectar
attracts butterflies and other insects. The
deer have left mine alone.
Rose Pinks are a Larval host plant for the Short-lined Chocolate moth (Argyrostrotis anilis). Check iNaturalist for a photo here. I found a photo of the caterpillar here. These caterpillars also feed on native plums, native crab apples, and native hawthorns.
I'll be sure to collect the seeds and spread them around for more splashes of pink in two years.
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