Abstract
Roots are usually out of sight and, therefore, out of mind. But as any good gardener will tell you, it is of utmost importance to understand those unique plant organs, even if their essential functions occur hidden from cursory observation. The red roots of the 2019 VNPS Wildflower of the Year, Ceanothus americanus, are particularly important because they host symbiotic bacteria that perform the essential function of nitrogen fixation. These prominent, knobby, distinctively pigmented roots are also the inspiration for the common name Redroot, applied to many species in the genus.
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
Summer 2019
Publisher Statement
Copyright © 2019 Virginia Native Plant Society. This article first appeared in Sempervirens: The Quarterly of the Virginia Native Plant Society (Summer 2019), 6-7.
Please note that downloads of the article are for private/personal use only.
Citation Example for Article (Chicago):
Hayden, John W. "Nitrogen Fixation in Roots of Ceanothus." Sempervirens: The Quarterly of the Virginia Native Plant Society (Summer 2019): 6-7.
Recommended Citation
Hayden, John W. "Nitrogen Fixation in Roots of Ceanothus." Sempervirens: The Quarterly of the Virginia Native Plant Society (Summer 2019): 6-7.