woodland wildflower
Lyreleaf sage
Salvia lyrata
Also known as Cancer Weed
1 of 3Native to much of the USA
Florida to eastern Texas, north to New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Kansas. Eastern United States, Zones 6 to 9
- Light Full sun to shade Sun tolerance
- Moisture Dry to moist Moisture preference
- Zones 6–10 Cold to heat range
- Bloom Mar–Jun Flowering time
- Height up to 2 ft to 0.6 m
- Life cycle Perennial Annual to perennial
In the garden
A woodland wildflower for sun through shade and dry to moist soil. At up to 2 ft, it suits shade gardens and woodland edges. Hardy in USDA zones 6–10.
Growing conditions
Light
Full sun Partial shade Full shade
Moisture
Dry Moist Wet
Hardiness zones
Find your zone:
Pollinators & wildlife
- Butterflies Monarch
also Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Gulf Fritillary, Pipevine Swallowtail +8 more
Spicebush Swallowtail, Cloudless Sulphur, Eastern Black Swallowtail, Palamedes Swallowtail, Barred Yellow, Papilio palamedes palamedes, Papilio cresphontes, Asbolis capucinus - Bees Common Eastern Bumble Bee
also Western Honey Bee, Eastern Carpenter Bee, Brown-belted Bumble Bee +3 more
American Bumble Bee, Southern Carpenter Bee, Blueberry Digger Bee - Moths Snowberry Clearwing also Hummingbird Clearwing
- Also visited by
- Flower flies: Margined Calligrapher, Poecilanthrax lucifer
Butterflies that use this plant
Documented host and nectar records. Each links to a planting guide for that butterfly.
- Black swallowtailnectar
- Cloudless sulphurnectar
- Eastern tiger swallowtailnectar
- Giant swallowtailnectar
- Gulf fritillarynectar
- Monarch butterflynectar
- Palamedes swallowtailnectar
- Pipevine swallowtailnectar
- Spicebush swallowtailnectar
Full plant details
Where it grows
- Habitat
- WoodlandThe wild plant community it grows in.
- Native range
- Much of the USAUnited States (25): AL, AR, DC, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, WV. Where it grows wild on its own, by state and province.
- Native distribution
- Florida to eastern Texas, north to New York, Ohio, Missouri, and Kansas. Eastern United States, Zones 6 to 9The same native range, usually more exact than the state list, and often noting where it has spread beyond it.
Growing conditions
- Light
- Full sun to shadeHow much sun it takes, from full sun to full shade.
- Moisture
- Dry to moistThe soil dampness it prefers, from dry to wet.
- Hardiness zones
- USDA 6–10The cold-to-heat climate range it survives.
- Soil
- Acid or calcareous sands, loams, or clays, well-drained or notThe soils it grows in naturally.
- Soil texture
- Light to medium (sandy to loamy)The soil grade it prefers, from sand to clay.
- Soil pH
- Mildly acid to mildly alkalineThe acidity to alkalinity it tolerates (7 is neutral).
- Water use
- Low to mediumHow thirsty it is, a rough guide to how often to water.
- Drought tolerance
- MediumRelative to plants of the same type and region, inferred from where it grows, not a days-without-water figure.
Growth & form
- Height
- up to 2 ft (to 0.6 m)Typical mature height.
- Spread
- ~2 ft (0.5 m)How wide one plant gets, a guide to spacing.
- Life cycle
- PerennialWhether it lives a single season (annual), two (biennial), or returns for years (perennial).
- Growth rate
- ModerateA relative ranking versus other plants of the same type (USDA), not an absolute rate.
Flowers, foliage & fruit
- Type
- WildflowerWhat kind of plant it is.
- Bloom
- Mar–JunWhen it flowers.
- Flower color
- White, Blue, VioletThe bloom color, or colors.
- Fruit/Seeds
- NutletsThe seed or fruit it sets after flowering.
- Toxicity
- None knownWhether any part is poisonous to people or pets.