Highlights
What an absolutely stunning native flower. Small bright-red blossoms open to reveal a yellow star center. It looks like it was perfectly cut out of construction paper. Oh, and the flowers are hummingbird favorites! Indian pink has many common names—Pinkroot, Woodland Pinkroot—but no matter what you call it, it’s a must for shade and part-shade gardens. Scroll on for planting tips.
Indian pink’s number one pollinator is the ruby-throated hummingbird. This long-beaked, long-tongued bird is why Indian pink’s flower is so long and narrow.
Indian pinks are a hummingbird favorite
Indian pink’s number one pollinator is the ruby-throated hummingbird. This long-beaked, long-tongued bird is why Indian pink’s flower is so long and narrow. (For other hummingbird favorites, check out our Guide to Planting Hummingbird Gardens.)
These beautiful native flowers open right after spring ephemerals (like trout lilies) die back, in the early spring. Our Beginner’s Guide to Native Ephemerals gives you more ephemeral inspo.
Where is Indian pink native?
Native to 16 US states
Sources: NatureServe, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (World Checklist of Vascular Plants) and the USDA PLANTS Database, compiled by The Plant Native. How we map native ranges
When does Indian pink bloom?
Indian pink blooms in the spring through to early summer. In the south, this is normally around March-June. In the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, you’ll see flowers from April to early July. Indian pink is known for its long bloom time—few native flowers stay out as long.
After the flowers bloom, the dark green leaves remain until the plant dies back in the fall. New growth will emerge the following spring.
Planting card
Spigelia marilandica
What are good pairings for Indian pink?
Pair Indian pinks with other native plants that like shade or part shade and thrive in Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and southern gardens. Favorites include:
Where can I buy Indian pink seeds or plants?
Finding a specific native flower can sometimes be challenging—most conventional nurseries do not stock lots of native plants outside of black-eyed Susans and purple coneflowers.
To help make finding Indian pinks easier, here are four sourcing ideas to try:
Indian pink is an absolutely stunning native flower that thrives in shade or part-shade gardens. Its stunning flowers are hummingbird favorites and they stay open and beautiful for a long bloom time: from spring to early summer. Plant them with other native flowers found in Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, or southern gardens for a fuss-free, gorgeous landscape (especially compared to lawns or non-native plants.) Check out our Guide to Hummingbird Gardens for more hummingbird landscaping inspiration. Happy planting!
Sources
- Nelson, Gil. Best Native Plants for Southern Gardens: A Handbook for Gardeners, Homeowners, and Professionals, (2010), 374-375.
- USDA, Woodland Pinkroot
- Harstad, Carolyn. Go Native! Gardening with Native Plants and Wildflowers in the Lower Midwest. (1999), 209-210.
Explore native plants by region
Similar plants
-
Hummingbird Mint
-
Rocky Mountain Bee Plant
-
Bee Balm
-
Cardinal Flower
-
Red Columbine
-
Golden Alexander
-
Phloxes
-
Blue Vervain
-
Obedient Plant
Updated Find more: Red Deer Resistant Flower Hummingbird Favorite Part Sun
The ads on this site help pay real native plant nerds to research and write these guides.
Garden notes
Notes from people who’ve grown it
Tips, wins, and the occasional disaster. If you’ve grown Indian pink, share the advice you’d give to a neighbor.
Add a note
No notes yet. Yours could be the first.
Grown Indian pink? Tell the next person what you wish someone had told you.
Tap anywhere to close
