Native Plants

Plant Database

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Cressler, Alan

Triosteum perfoliatum

Triosteum perfoliatum L.

Feverwort, Wild Coffee

Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: TRPE5

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

A coarse plant with hairy, sticky stems and few-flowered clusters of small, tubular, red to greenish flowers in axils of upper leaves.

The fruit can be dried, roasted, ground, and used as a coffee substitute. The genus name refers to the fruit's trio of bony seeds. A closely related species with a similar range, Orange-Fruit Horse-Gentian (T. aurantiacum), has a smooth stem. Narrow-leaved Horse-Gentian (T. angustifolium) has yellow flowers and leaves to 2 inches (5 cm) long.

From the Image Gallery

6 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Fruit Type: Drupe
Size Notes: Up to about 4 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow , Green , Purple
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , NC , NE , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , TN , VA , WI , WV
Canada: ON
Native Distribution: Ontario and Quebec; New York and Massachusetts south to Georgia, west to Louisiana and Oklahoma, and north to Nebraska and Minnesota.
Native Habitat: Open, rocky woods and thickets.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Mt. Cuba Center - Hockessin, DE

Web Reference

Webref 26 - Minnesota Wildflowers: a field guide to the flora of Minnesota (2009)
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Triosteum perfoliatum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Triosteum perfoliatum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Triosteum perfoliatum

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-05-30
Research By: TWC Staff

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