Orange Milkwort
Polygala lutea
Status: Secure
Orange Milkwort is one of the many Milkwort species that grow all around the planet. These small flowering plants grow in wet sandy or boggy areas of the longleaf pine range. This plant takes two years to complete its life cycle, making it what is called a biennial plant - it spends the first year growing its leaves, stems, and roots; and in the second year, it grows and develops its seeds to reproduce before it dies.
Habitat & Range
The Orange Milkwort grows across the eastern and southeastern coastal states of the United States, ranging as far north as New York, overlapping with the majority of the longleaf range. This species of flowering plant requires full sun. Where you find Orange Milkwort growing, you can usually find carnivorous plants growing nearby! This is what we call an "indicator species".
Food Web & Energy Flow
Like most plant species, the orange milkwort uses photosynthesis to get it's energy from the sun and draws nutrients from the soil. This makes it a producer in the longleaf energy web.
Relationship With Fire
Like many of the plant species that grow in the longleaf forest ecosystem, the orange milkwort thrives in habitats that experience regular, low-intensity fires. These fires keep the forest floor from getting too overgrown and creating too much shade for these flowers.
Relationship with Other Species
The orange milkwort is an indicator species for carnivorous plants which share the same preference in wet bog habitat. This flower depends on butterflies and other pollinator species to reproduce.
Human Impacts/ Threats
Land Use Conversion
Longleaf forests and the habitat it supports is being cleared or converted to use the land for other uses like houses, roads, agriculture, and even to grow different types of trees to sell.
Fire Suppression
Many people think of fires in the forest as bad, so they work hard to prevent or suppress them. But longleaf forests NEED regular fire to support habitat for the creatures that live there!
Conservation Status
In general, the orange milkwort is considered SECURE, which means there are lots of them growing in different places and there is a low risk that this species could go extinct. However, the forest bogs habitat that this species depends on is under threat.
