Twin Flower

Twinflower (Linnaea borealis) is a plant found throughout the northern hemisphere in circumboreal habitats. Twinflower occurs across the northern hemisphere from Siberia to Sweden and across North America. Borealis means “northern”. In Canada, Linnaea borealis longiflora is considered of conservation significance in the Yukon Territory, along the eastern edge of its range.

Botanical Name: Linnaea borealis

Nom Français: Linnée boréale

Features

Bloom colour: Pink | White

Blooms: Summer - Zone 5

Pollinators:

Sun or Shade: Partial Sun

Plant Type: Perennial | Vine

Height: Less than 1 foot (27 cms or less)

Across Canada

It grows well in hardiness zones:

The twin flower has tiny pink bell-shaped flowers that sit atop a Y-shaped stem. They are in the family Caprifoliaceae (Honeysuckle). It is a perennial that blooms from June to September.

Planting

Forests, meadows, lakes, rivers, dry slopes in the mountains.

Water requirement: Keep moist. Will not tolerate drought.

Flexible. Moist soil, sandy soil, peaty soil. pH 4.0 to 5.

Seeds are hard to collect but they don't need any cold treatment to sow. They can be sown in the fall or the spring. They are great ground cover plants but they need room to grow.

Care

Twin flower plant care is easy. They do not do well in extreme moisture or drought. The best way to propogate them is through stem cuttings in late spring.

Mixed woods , dapple light, plentiful humus

No common pests or diseases.

Pruning

Spread: Up to 2 feet (70 cm)

Although twin flowers reproduce through underground runners and spread easily, they are not considered aggressive and are often taken over by other plants. If you want to use them as ground cover, you should give them enough room to spread if you want them to multiply.

Considerations

The twin flower has sweet-smelling blooms and attracts bees.

Native to Canada

Styling and Use

The twin flower likes shade to part sun. They make great ground cover in woodland gardens.

Other

After the flowers have faded, the evergreen leaves stay on the plant over winter, underneath the snow.

History

It was named for Carolus Linnaeus (1707-1778), the father of modern botany, who liked the flower so much he had his portrait painted with it. He was responsible for naming of around 8,000 plants, as well as many animals and the scientific designation for humans: Homo sapiens. The naming of Linnaea borealis was not done by Carolus himself, but rather friend and teacher Jan Frederik Gronovious in his honour.