One of the truly fabulous Southeast natives, that is completely unknown to gardeners, is the amazing Trautvetteria nervata. The genus, Trautvetteria, a member of the Ranunculus family, is already poorly known. Even the comprehensive Kew Gardens database makes a mess of the species list. Trautvetteria nervata, a coastal plain denizen of only a few counties in Georgia, is often lumped into Trautvetteria caroliniensis, hence its complete absence from the gardening world. If any of these lumpers had actually grown the plants, they’d know that they are completely different. We have found the cool-loving Trautvetteria caroliniensis impossible to keep alive in our hot, humid summer climate, where Trautvettera nervata thrives.
Trautvetteria nervata ‘Swamp Queen’ is scheduled to be a 2026 Plant Delights/JLBG introduction of a Zac Hil/Jeremy Schmidt collection from Burke County, Georgia. For years, we couldn’t get any viable seed from our plant, since we only had a single clone. After finally coaxing a second seedling, the two are now much more sexually active, so we’ll be able to finally share. The 3′ tall flower spikes emerge in mid-June, topped with a cloud of thalictrum-like white flowers. Trautvetterias are bog/wetland plants, so you’ll need a very damp site to succeed with this. In our trials, however, it also grows in slightly moist soils, but doesn’t get nearly as large.
This is another connoisseur nerd plant that only a few will like.
“Bridge to Trautvetteria”, a Plant Nerd Tale
If the Swamp Queen Trautvetteria nervata is deer resistant and comfortable in limited sun to dappled-shade, then our hardwood bottomland sounds like the perfect kingdom for the ‘Queen’ to rule over. The “Kingdom of Tratvetteria” has a nice ring to it, perhaps a botanist with Christopher Loyd-level story-telling skills will be inspired to write a gardening book entitled “Bridge to Trautvetteria”? (The similar named tale, “Bridge to Terabithia” also had a number of strong botanical influences.)
If the Swamp Queen T. nervata desires a Swamp King then there are quite a few King Ostrich Ferns Matteuccia struthiopteris to choose from in our Trautvetterian bottomland. A number of Southern Lady (in Waiting) Ferns Athyrium asplenioides, and a tight inner circle of Lady in Red Fern Athyrium filix-femina are there to keep her company. Also various Royal Ferns Osmunda regalis of questionable family lineage are plentiful. A word of warning, many in the royal court are dreadful sycophant’s and will tell the Queen anything she wants to hear, and never say ‘no’. She would be well-served by a group of older wizened advisors such as the stately oaks, the poplar, bald cypress and pine that have been around our wetlands for many decades; they have seen it all.
Unfortunately this section of bottomland (formerly known as ‘The Swamp’) has recently become somewhat of a theocracy, with hundreds of Jack in the Pulpit Arisaema triphyllum over-running the place; these wannabe botanic Bishops and Archbishops vying for power at every turn in the ephemeral creek bed, battling to move up in the plant hierarchy to become Cardinal and one day possibly “Pope of the Swamp” But since the Cardinal Flowers have established a foothold, Lobelia cardinalis ‘Pope’s Velvet’ appear to have a lock on the top job.
Finally there’s a massive standing army of Saururus cernuus, also know as the American Swamp Lily; but they prefer the more war-like name, “Water-Dragon”, or in a nod to their reptilian mindset, they find “Lizard Tail’ more than acceptable. They have several divisions of battle-toughened Mahonia bealei, the Leather-Leaf mahonia that are used to taking abuse and are ready to serve as reinforcements. The royal armory is run by a diverse mix of Shield Ferns, the Polystichum sp. have members in almost every corner of globe; and with connections like this they also form an excellent botanic foreign ministry. Yes, these groups will be at the Swamp Queen’s (and King’s) disposal, ready and willing to spy on and/or invade neighboring plant habitats they find desirable.
As you see, Trautvetteria nervata aka Swamp Queen is welcome here in the zone 8a bottomland, and if not deer resistant that’s OK, she may have to adjust, as many at her level of oligarchy have, to spending their days surrounded by luxury but under tight security in a ‘gilded deer-proof cage’, so to speak.
[Botanic Plant Nerd Satire]
In your pic the Swamp Queen appears situated in or adjacent to your crevice garden with significant sun exposure. Is Trautvetteria nervata like her less heat/humidity tolerant cousin Trautvetteria caroliniensis, also a lover of part-sun and/or dappled shade? I imagine there is plenty of moisture seeping from the rocky berm above to keep her happy.
In this location, it received 4 hours of morning sun, where it thrives. We also have it planted in more shade, were it grows fine, but not this vigorously.
How tall in consistently moist soil?
About 1′ tall for us.