# Candy Flower (*Claytonia sibirica*) Candy Flowers are pretty little blooms that look like they are made of candy! They have soft petals and often grow in clusters, making them look like a sweet treat in nature. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 11 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Siberian Purslane ![Candy Flower](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Claytonia_sibirica_9292.JPG&width=800) Photo: Walter Siegmund (talk), CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Claytonia_sibirica_9292.JPG) ## Appearance The Candy Flower has delicate, five-petaled white or pink blossoms, often with darker pink veins, clustered atop slender reddish stems. Its glossy, spoon-shaped green leaves form a basal rosette, distinguishing it from most small wildflowers. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Montiaceae - **Genus:** Claytonia ## Interesting facts - Indigenous peoples traditionally enjoyed the fresh, spinach-like greens of this plant. - Its beautiful petals fold up tight at night, then unfurl with the morning sun! - The tiny seeds are sometimes spread by ants, who carry them to new spots! - This wildflower can pop up through melting snow, being one of the first blooms of spring! ## Special abilities - **Quick Growth:** Candy Flower can grow and bloom rapidly in spring, helping it capture sunlight before taller plants leaf out. - **Edible Greens:** Candy Flower has tender leaves packed with nutrients, making it a valuable food source for various animals and people. - **Shade Dweller:** Candy Flower has adaptations to thrive in damp, shady conditions, allowing it to grow where many other plants struggle. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 10-30 cm - **Spread:** 10-20 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.5-1.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** Western bumblebee (*Bombus occidentalis*) — visits flowers for nectar - **Eaten by:** [White-tailed deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-tailed-deer) (*Odocoileus virginianus*) — grazes on its tender leaves ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Cluster Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/cluster-flower): Cluster flowers are inflorescences where individual flowers are arranged closely together on a common stem. - [Spring Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spring-blooming): Spring blooming plants produce their flowers during the spring season, often signifying the end of winter and the start of new growth. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [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. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching or tasting any wild plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Candy Flower? 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 Candy Flower? 10-30 cm ### How wide does Candy Flower spread? 10-20 cm ### How big are the flowers on Candy Flower? 0.5-1.5 cm ### When does Candy Flower bloom? Spring to early summer ### Is Candy Flower edible? Yes ### Is Candy Flower toxic? None ### What is Candy Flower's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [E. E. Wilson Wildlife Area](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/e-e-wilson-wildlife-area) — Oregon, US · Nature Reserve - [Santiam State Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/santiam-state-forest) — Oregon, US · Forest - [Sitka National Historical Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/sitka-national-historical-park) — US · National Park - [Elwha Dam](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/elwha-dam) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Guard Island Light](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/guard-island-light) — US · Historic District - [Hoh Rainforest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hoh-rainforest) — Washington, US · Nature Reserve [View all places to see Candy Flower](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/candy-flower) ## 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: [Candy Flower: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/candy-flower)