
Fairy Wand
About Fairy Wand
Fairy-Wand is a native perennial wildflower of eastern North America. It has separate male and female plants with the male flowers being larger and the spike often curved downward from the tip. It is found in rich woods, wet savannas, moist meadows, slopes, and thickets. Preference is for organically rich, moist, acidic, well-drained soils in part shade to full shade.
Taxonomy
Chamaelirium luteum
Chamaelirium
Melanthiaceae
Liliales
Also known as
devil's-bit, fairy-wand, fairywand, false unicorn, false unicorn-root, helonias, blazing-star and rattlesnake-root

How to care for Fairy Wand

How often to water your Fairy Wand

every 9
Fairy Wand needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9

Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.

Select a city to check sunlight intensity

Finding light for Fairy Wand in your home

a window
Fairy Wand may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.
Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Fairy Wand in your home 🏡.

How to fertilize Fairy Wand

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Fairy Wand after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Fairy Wand is generally considered an easy-to-care-for plant and makes a great choice for beginners!
Water Needs
Fairy Wand prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Sunlight Needs
Fairy Wand may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
Toxicity
Greg does not have confirmed data on this plant’s toxicity. If you, a family member, or a pet consumes plant material of unknown toxicity, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.
If you or someone else ingested this plant, call Poison Control at US (800) 222-1222. If a pet consumed this plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA at US (888) 426-4435.
Soil
Fairy Wand does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Growth Pattern
Fairy Wand grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Fairy Wand can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 4a-9b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Propagation
Fairy Wand can be propagated by division into new individual plants.
- Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
- If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
- Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
- Repot the parent plant back into its original pot
Care Summary for Fairy Wand
Fairy Wand
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 3ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
