Fringed Meadow Beauty is a native perennial found in wet prairies, bogs and flatwoods, and along coastal swales. It grows in acid, moist to wet, nutrient-poor sandy soils in full sun to light shade. This plant could be used in bog or water gardens, along ponds or streams but may be difficult to find for sale. The pink flowers bloom during the summer on 1-2 foot stems and attract bees and other pollinators.
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 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 pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Moist | Occasionally Wet
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect
Texture
Fine
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
3/4 inch long oval green leaves have hairs on the slightly toothed margins.
Flower color
Pink; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Long Bloom Season; Showy
Flower form
Cyme; Solitary
Flower shape
Saucer; Star
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1.5 inch wide pink-purple flowers with four petals, five sepals and eight short stamens with yellow anthers. Anthers straight to slightly curved, usually shorter than the filaments. Blooms from June to September.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long, < 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Urn-shaped capsules display from August to October.
Stem color
Green; Red/Burgundy
Stem detail
Reddish-green square stems are narrowly winged and smooth
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
Southeastern and central U.S.A.
Distribution
AL , FL , GA , LA , MD , MS , NC , SC , TX , VA
Wildlife value
This plant attracts bees and butterflies.
Attracts
Bees; Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Capsule
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Coastal; Pond
Landscape theme
Butterfly Garden; Native Garden; Pollinator Garden; Rain Garden; Water Garden