About Napaea dioica L.
Height and Leaf Size
Napaea dioica L. grows 1.5 to 3 metres (5 to 10 ft) tall, and has leaves that can reach up to 75 centimetres (30 in) in length.
Leaf Characteristics
These large leaves are alternately arranged; lower leaves are nine to eleven parted, and have short hairs on their undersides.
Flowering Stem Count
Individual plants produce more than one flowering stem.
Flower Bloom Period
Its white flowers bloom for 4 to 5 weeks, starting in late June.
Flower Structure and Arrangement
Each flower has five petals and five sepals, and flowers are arranged in a panicle.
Daily Bloom Pattern
Blooms open in the morning and close at sundown.
Reproductive System
This species is dioecious, meaning male and female reproductive structures grow on separate individual plants.
Fruit Characteristics
The fruits are rounded; when ripe, they split into many-seeded, indehiscent locules.
General Growing Conditions
Napaea dioica L. grows in areas with moist soil, and tolerates conditions from full sun to partial shade.
Minnesota Habitat and Conservation Status
In Minnesota, where the species is classified as endangered, it grows in alluvial meadows of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, alongside other large herbaceous perennials including Heracleum lanatum, Silphium perfoliatum, and Rudbeckia laciniata.
Geographic Distribution
This species is distributed from east-central Ohio, across central Indiana and the northern half of Illinois, to southwestern Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa.
Additional Habitats
It prefers damp growing conditions, and can also be found growing in ditches or on stream banks.
