Blue Bead is a small, flowering, herbaceous perennial in the lily family usually found in large spreading colonies in moist, cool woods, spruce-fir forests, or open, mountain slopes. The plant is composed of 2 to 4 curved leaves, small flowers at the ends of long, 20 inch, stalks, and dark blue, bead like berries that give the plant its common name. The plants slowly spread by underground rhizomes or can be propagated by division or by seed. The genus is named in honor of the former governor of New York, DeWitt Clinton (1769-1828) The species name, borealis , meaning "of the north", alludes to the plant's preferred environment in Canada and the Northeastern United States. Blue Bead does best in shaded sites with organically rich, moist, acidic soils preferred. It does not do well in heat and will decline when temperatures rise above 75 degrees F. However, in the right environment and the right amount of patience, the plant will make an excellent ground cover. Bees will suck nectar or collect pollen from Blue Bead flowers; flies and beetles as well feed on pollen and nectar. Short-tongued bees and flies are usually non-pollinating. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Slugs and snails.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Moist
NC region
Mountains
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Oblong
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf value
Edible
Leaf size
> 6 inches long
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Two to four basal, shiny, bright green, oblong leaves and 3 to 5 strap-like leaves. The leaves are 4 to 10 inches long, edible, somewhat leathery, and have hairy-fringed margins.
Flower color
Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Raceme
Flower shape
Bell
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Terminal raceme of small 4 to 8 yellow to greenish-yellow, bell-like flowers that nod on a tall leafless stalk. It is 6-parted, has three petals and three sepals, and flowers in a terminal cluster.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Black; Blue
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit detail
The fruit is a bright, light to dark blue berry that is poisonous.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Eastern North America, Newfoundland south to the Appalachians.
Distribution
South to North Carolina and Georgia, west to the Great Lakes.
Wildlife value
Songbirds and chipmunks eat the berries.
Attracts
Butterflies
Play value
Wildlife Food Source
Food & Medicine
Edible parts
Leaves; Nuts
Fruit type
Berry
Edibility
Young leaves are chopped and added to salads, or boiled for 10 minutes and served with butter and seasonings. Sour flavor.