Fauna
Flower

Bluebead Lily

Clintonia borealis

Also known as Yellow Clintonia, Clinton's Lily, Corn-Lily

Bluebead lilies carpet northern forest floors with glossy, basal leaves that arise each spring from creeping rhizomes. Delicate, nodding greenish-yellow flowers appear in late spring, followed in midsummer by striking porcelain-blue berries that give the plant its namesake look. These long-lived woodland perennials spread slowly, playing a vital role in stabilizing rich, acidic forest soils.

WoodlandWildflowerPerennial
Bluebead Lily reference1 / 7
(c) Photos by Micky, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotroph (photosynthesis)
Predators
  • White-tailed Deer
  • Chipmunks
  • Woodland Mice
ThreatsOverbrowsing by deer, habitat fragmentation, and logging disturbance
HabitatsBoreal and mixed coniferous-deciduous forests, shaded bogs, and cool mountain slopes
Life spanPerennial (rhizome colonies live for decades)
Classification
  1. OrderLiliales
  2. FamilyLiliaceae
  3. GenusClintonia
  4. SpeciesClintonia borealis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskHigh
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is high
Berries contain toxins that cause nausea; wild berries also have deadly look-alikes, so never ingest.
Why it is dangerous
The berries contain saponins and toxic glycosides that can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, vomiting, and diarrhea.
How to recognize a risky encounter
Recognizable by bright, glossy cobalt-blue berries clustered on a leafless upright stalk above wide, oval basal leaves.
What to do
Admire and photograph the plant from trailside without picking, and keep curious pets and children from sampling berries.
Responsible observation
  • Photography: Focus close on the nodding flowers in June or the vivid metallic-blue berries in August.
  • Trail Etiquette: Step carefully around colonies to avoid damaging shallow rhizomes and slow-growing shoots.
  • Field Identification: Check for two to four glossy, hairless basal leaves lacking a leafy stem.
Related species
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