Tolmiea menziesii – youth-on-age
Common Name
youth-on-age
Alternate Common Names
- piggy-back plant
Family
Saxifragaceae
Scientific Name
Tolmiea menziesii
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
- Medium (M)
- Wet (W)
Soil Nutrient Regime (SNR)
- Rich (R)
Video link
Hitchcock, C. Leo, and Arthur Cronquist. Flora of the Pacific Northwest: An Illustrated Manual © 1973. Reprinted with permission of the University of Washington Press.
Photo Gallery
General / Habitat
- Perennial herb
- Grows abundantly in moist forests, stream-banks, and along old logging roads
- Low to middle elevations
- Its distinct name refers to the small plantlets that buds at the base of some leaves, and grow into daughter plants which fall of and root
Key Identifying Characteristics
- Form: Flowering stems up to 40-80 cm tall, hairy stems
- Leaves: Main leaves basal, hairy, heart-shaped, 5-7 shallow lobes and coarse toothing, sometimes with new plantlets budding at base (hence name piggy-back or youth-on-age), stem leaves reduced
- Flowers: Brownish-purple, 4 thin and curved petals, 3 prominent stamens, several borne in elongated clusters
- Fruit: Slender capsules containing numerous seeds
Lookalikes
- Saxifrage species’ leaves can be difficult to tell apart, but piggy-back plant’s unique leaf budding makes it easy to distinguish
Interesting Characteristics
- Plantlets fall off and root to become new plants
External References
Sources
Douglas, G.W. et al (Editors). 1998-2002. Illustrated Flora of British Columbia, Volumes 1 to 8. B.C. Min. Environ., Lands and Parks, and B.C. Min. For., Victoria, B.C.
Pojar, J. and A. MacKinnon. 2014. Plants of Coastal British Columbia Including Washington, Oregon & Alaska. B.C. Ministry of Forestry and Lone Pine Publishing. Vancouver, B.C.