Baldwin's milkwort, Polygala balduinii

Baldwin’s milkwort

Pictured above: Baldwin’s milkwort (Senega balduinii) by Stacey Matrazzo. Click on terms for botanical definitions. View post as a PDF.

Baldwin’s milkwort (Senega balduinii) is one of only a few white milkworts found in Florida. It typically blooms spring through fall and occurs naturally in wet pine flatwoods, marshes and coastal swales.

Flowers are small, white or greenish and borne in dense cymes atop branched stems. Sepals are large, lateral and petal-like. Leaves are lanceolate with pointy tips. They are alternately arranged and become reduced and sessile as they ascend the stem. Seeds are borne in a capsule.

The species epithet balduinii pays homage to William Baldwin, an American physician and botanist who made significant contributions to the field of botany in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

NOTE: Research published in 2023 assigned the New World clade of Polygala to the genus Senega (Pastore et al). This species was previously known as Polygala balduinii and is likely still listed as such in many online and print resources.

Family: Polygalaceae (Milkwort family)
Native range: Nearly throughout
To see where natural populations of Baldwin’s milkwort have been vouchered, visit florida.plantatlas.usf.edu.
Lifespan: Annual or biennial (may act as perennial in South Florida)
Soil: Moist to wet
Exposure: Full sun
Growth habit: 1–3’ tall

Baldwin’s milkwort is not commercially available. Visit a sunny open wetland to see it!

For information on other Senega species, see these resources:

Drumheads

Drumheads (Senega cruciata) is a low-growing wildflower with small but showy pink flowerheads that bloom from late spring through fall.
Read more… Drumheads
Yellow milkwort flower

Yellow milkwort

Yellow milkroot ( Senega rugelii) is an herbaceous wildflower endemic to the Florida peninsula. Its showy flowers bloom primarily in summer and fall, but may appear throughout the year.
Read more… Yellow milkwort

Orange milkwort

Orange milkwort (Senega lutea) is a short but showy wildflower found in bogs, savannas, pine flatwoods and roadside ditches throughout Florida. It typically blooms March through November, but can bloom year-round.
Read more… Orange milkwort

Candyroot

Candyroot (Senega nana) is an annual herbaceous wildflower found in wet to moist pine flatwoods, wet prairies and coastal swales. It typically blooms in late spring through summer.
Read more… Candyroot