Blackberry Lily, Leopard Flower, Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC., Naturalized Minnesota Wildflower plant, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden

	Plants of the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
	Common Name	Scientific Name	Plant Family	Garden Location	Prime Season
	Blackberry Lily	Belamcanda chinensis (L.) DC.	Iris (Iridaceae)	Upland	Late Summer
Other names and notes	(Leopard Flower). An orange 6 part stalked flower, up to 2" wide, with purple spots that opens from a branching cluster atop a stem of up to three feet in height. Only one flower in the cluster opens each day. The fruit is formed in a capsule and ripens to black cluster of fleshy seeds. These resemble blackberries, hence the common name. The leaves are sword-like as in other members of the Iris family. It prefers to grow in disturbed areas such as roadsides and thickets and open woods. In the Garden you will usually see it near the edges of the path. The genus name, Belamcanda, is the East Indian name for this species and the species name, chinensis, is about referring to China, a possible source of origin.


Above left and below left: Flowers of early August. Above center: The Iris-like strap leaves. Above right: Black fleshy seeds emerged from the seed pod in late September. Below right: One flower open at a time.

Below: The seed heads formed at the end of August.

Notes: This plant is an escapee from cultivation. It is native to Asia. In the United States it has been reported established in most states in the eastern half of the country. It is readily available in the nursery trade. The plant was not in the Garden at the time of Martha Crone's 1951 Garden Census, but was present at the time of the 1986 Garden census.

Return to -- Site Plan/Archive --or-- List of Common Plant Names -- or -- List of Scientific Names -- or --Home Page

References: Plant characteristics are generally from sources 15, 16, 30, 31, 33, W2 & W3. Distribution principally from W2 and also 31, 34 and W1. Planting history generally from 1, 4 & 4a. Other sources by specific reference. See Reference List for details.

103111