# Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade (*Circaea alpina*) Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade is a small, delicate plant that grows in cool, shady places. It has pretty white flowers and soft green leaves, making it a lovely sight in the forest. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Mountain regions ![Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Circaea_alpina.jpg&width=800) Photo: Joe F. Duft, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Circaea_alpina.jpg) ## Appearance The Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade is a delicate plant with small, heart-shaped, bright green leaves. It produces tiny, paired white or pale pink flowers that appear to have two deeply notched petals, making them look almost like four. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Myrtales - **Family:** Onagraceae - **Genus:** Circaea ## Interesting facts - Despite "nightshade" in its name, it's completely unrelated to the poisonous true nightshades! - It can grow very high up in mountains, sometimes near melting snow patches! - Its tiny flowers look like they have two petals, but each is deeply split, making it four! - The plant’s name comes from ancient magic lore, despite being a real forest plant. ## Special abilities - **Underground Spread:** Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade has creeping rhizomes that help it spread easily and form small patches, even in challenging soils. - **Nature's Velcro Seeds:** Its tiny, burr-like fruits are covered in hooked bristles, allowing them to hitch a ride on animals for dispersal. - **Shade Seeker:** This plant can thrive in deep shade where many others struggle, using low light to grow in dense forest understories. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 5-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-25 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European Bumblebee (*Bombus terrestris*) — Visits tiny flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Eaten by:** [Black Slug](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-slug) (*Arion ater*) — Slugs and snails frequently browse on its leaves. - **Eaten by:** [Roe Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/roe-deer) (*Capreolus capreolus*) — Deer may browse on its leaves in forest habitats. - **Pollinates:** Fly (*Fannia serena*) — Small flies are attracted to its blossoms. ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shade Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shade-tolerant): Shade tolerant plants are adapted to grow and thrive in areas with low light levels, requiring less direct sunlight. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Mountain](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/mountain): This habitat trait identifies species found in mountainous regions, characterized by high elevation, steep slopes, and varying climate zones. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not touch or eat unknown plants, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade? 5-30 cm ### How wide does Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade spread? 10-25 cm ### How big are the flowers on Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade bloom? Summer ### Is Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade edible? No ### Is Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade toxic? None ### What is Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Berry Botanic Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/berry-botanic-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [E. E. Wilson Wildlife Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/e-e-wilson-wildlife-area) — Oregon, US · Nature Reserve - [Hoyt Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoyt-arboretum) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [International Rose Test Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/international-rose-test-garden) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Mount Pisgah Arboretum](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mount-pisgah-arboretum) — Oregon, US · Botanical Garden - [Cougar Mountain Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cougar-mountain-zoo) — Washington, US · Zoo [View all places to see Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/alpine-enchanters-nightshade) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Alpine Enchanter's-nightshade Facts — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/alpine-enchanters-nightshade)