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Carolina Birds-in-a-nest

Macbridea caroliniana (mak-BRIDE-ee-a kair-oh-lin-ee-AN-uh)

Family: Lamiaceae Native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Carolina Birds-in-a-nest is a relatively rare, flowering perennial wildflower in the mint family and native to the south eastern United States. The plant will grow to about 3 feet high topped by attractive purple flowers. In its natural habitat such as the sand hills and coastal plain of North Carolina, it can be found in ditches, the edges of savanna, and swamp forests, especially in sphagnous seepage areas away from direct flooding. Carolina Birds-in-a-nest do best in full or partial sun with moist to wet soil. Carolina Birds-in-a-nest is listed as imperiled in North Carolina because of its rarity and is considered endangered. Endangered species may not be removed from the wild except when a permit is obtained for research, propagation, or rescue.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 36 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

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.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Native Plant; Perennial
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Sand
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
NC region
Coastal
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Opposite, simple, leaves are veined, not needle-like or scale-like.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender; White
Flower shape
Cup
Flower detail
Lavender-pink flowers bloom from July to September.
Bloom time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Nut
Fruit detail
Fruit displays from August to December.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern United States
Distribution
North and South Carolina, Alabama, Florida.
Wildlife value
This plant attracts bumblebees and skipper butterflies.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Nut
Landscape Use
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden
Garden tags
#native perennial #NC native #wet soils tolerant #Coastal OBL #food source hard mast fruit #food source nectar #food source pollen #food source summer #Piedmont Mountains OBL #food source fall #boggy sites #rare #endangered
Problems & Resistance
Resistant to
Wet Soil

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.