Sometimes its name can tell a lot about a plant. So it is with Linnaea borealis, Twinflower. Both the common and botanical names are descriptive of this petite native groundcover. Twinflower is found throughout the northern hemisphere in circumboreal habitats, meaning that it occurs from Siberia to Sweden and throughout the northern latitudes of North America. In Wisconsin it is found predominantly in the northern half of the state, but also sporadically further south, including Ozaukee County. Its habitat ranges from dry forests to bogs, on moist or dry soils. The specific epithet borealis means “northern”, referring to its geographic distribution.
Twinflower is the smallest specimen in my garden of over 900 different plants. The tiny evergreen leaves are just over a quarter inch long and the flowers top out at about a half inch in length. Thin semi-woody stems hug the ground and form roots where they come into contact with it. When in bloom, which typically occurs in June and July, the pink to white bell-like flowers may rise 3 to 4 inches above the earth. They are nodding and born in pairs (hence the name “twinflower”) on short, thin Y-shaped stalks. In a forest, Twinflower is easily missed or stepped on by hikers. Like Rodney Dangerfield, it rarely gets respect!
Most fascinating about this plant is the derivation of the genus Linnaea, which honors probably the most distinguished figure in the field of botany, Carl von Linne, also known as Carolus Linnaeus. Linne was born in Sweden in 1707 and in 1753 published a book called Species Plantarum in which he defined the binomial system of naming plants, which is still used today. Linnaeus is considered the “Father of Modern Taxonomy” because of his innovations and contributions. During his lifetime, he named nearly 8000 plants, as well as many animals. We can even thank him for the scientific designation for humans: Homo sapiens. Many of his supporters and detractors provided inspiration for naming plants. Those plants that he liked and found beautiful would be named in honor of his supporters. His detractors often supplied the names of common weeds or unattractive plants! Throughout the scientific community, he was known for his arrogance and ego.
This arrogance did not lead him to name plants after himself, however. Though Linnaea borealis was reported to be his favorite plant, it was named by his close friend Jan Frederik Gronovious in honor of Linnaeus. I find it incredible that this man, who knew and named thousands of plants, would select one of the smallest to be his favorite. Though I wouldn’t place it in my top 10 list, I too hold it in high esteem.
Because of its small size, Twinflower can easily get lost in the garden. I use it to fill the space between some of my shade garden plants on the north side of my house. It seems to like the cool, moist environment and is in a location where it can get some attention by passersby. Few nurseries carry Twinflower because of its low marketability. I bought my plants from a Wisconsin nursery that specializes in native plants. The few plants that I bought have since spread to cover a 4 by 4 foot section of ground. If you find this plant as intriguing as I do, it is worth searching for and planting.
The Cottage Gardener 