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White Colicroot

Aletris farinosa

Found in glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock; mountain bogs and fens; forests and woodlands; meadows; roadsides, fields and disturbed ground. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

14
Modest

Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 88%

Light
Full sun
Soil moisture
Somewhat dry to moist
Will it fit your yard?

Rare or protected plant. Specialist conservation planting; excluded from routine garden suggestions. Plant caution source

Hidden from default planting suggestions. Wildlife value and native status remain unchanged.

At a glance

Life cycle
Perennial
Bloom
April to June
Fruiting season
July to September

Not yet recorded · Height · Spread · Leaves

Recorded in 1 West Virginia county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 5

Glades, barrens and outcrops on mafic or serpentine rock

Open, thin-soil openings, outcrops and cliffs on dark, magnesium- or iron-rich rock such as serpentine, diabase or gabbro.

Mountain bogs and fens

Wet, open, peaty mountain wetlands fed by seepage, often with sphagnum moss.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

Meadows

Open, grassy or flowery ground that is not wet, such as mountain meadows; wet meadows are separate.

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

All habitats

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

0CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV
7BeesSoutheastern regional records

Southeastern regional records · Aletris

Individual names are not available yet.

Noori, Seltmann & Orr 2026, A curated and integrated dataset for exploring global bee-plant interactions (GloBI), Zenodo, CC BY 4.0
0Specialist beesPollen specialists
—BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Nartheciaceae
Soil pH
Acidic
Flower color
White
Fruit begins
July
Fruit ends
September
Growing sources and scope
Also known as

Colic Root

Conservation status

West Virginia rankS1
Global rankG5
WV statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

In your garden

Will it fit your yard?

Check this plant against your county, sun and soil moisture. Conditions are checked in your browser.

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How to check your spot

Sources