Squirrel corn

Questions about squirrel corn

Does squirrel corn need sun or shade?

Squirrel corn grows in part shade (2 to 4 hours of sun, mostly in the morning) and shade (less than 2 hours of direct sun, or bright dappled light).

It wants soil that stays evenly moist, rich in organic matter, and a good soak in dry spells.

What zones does squirrel corn grow in?

USDA zones 4 to 7. It is hardy to zone 4, which means it survives winter nights down to about −20 °F (−29 °C).

Above zone 7 it struggles: the zones measure winter cold, but a plant's top zone usually means the summers are too hot or the winters too mild for it to rest.

Gardening in Canada? Use the USDA zone for your town: Canada's own zone map uses different numbers.

When does squirrel corn flower in my zone?

In zone 5 it flowers mid April to early May. As a spring flower it moves about a week for every zone: earlier where it is warmer, later where it is colder.

Worked out from Hopkins' bioclimatic law: spring arrives about four days later for each degree of latitude north, and one zone is roughly two degrees. A warm spring or a cold one moves any garden two weeks either way.

How far apart should squirrel corn be planted?

8 in (20 cm) apart, from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. That is a little closer than its full width of 10 in (25 cm), so a group knits into one patch.

It grows 8 in (20 cm) tall. Give it the full distance from anything taller, or it will lean out towards the light.

How many squirrel corn plants do I need?

At 8 in apart, set out in staggered rows:

• 27 to fill 10 square feet (about 1 m²)
• 16 for a single row 10 ft (3 m) long
• 86 to fill a 4 × 8 ft bed on its own

In a mixed border, plant it as a group of three or five, with a second group further along in the other number.

In the bed above, the planner used seven in two groups.

Is squirrel corn poisonous to dogs and cats?

Yes: mild toxicity to people, dogs, cats and horses. All parts are poisonous if eaten.

Rated from NC State Extension. Where references disagree, the more cautious rating is used.

Is there a pet-safe plant like squirrel corn?

These come closest to doing what squirrel corn does, and no toxicity is recorded for them:

• Rue anemone: the same job in a bed, the same size, the same flowering time and the same colour; wants average soil.
• Wherry's foamflower: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers early May to late June, medium leaves, not fine.
• Liverleaf: the same job in a bed, the same size and the same colour; flowers late March to late April, medium leaves, not fine.

Matched the way the planner's Swap button matches plants: the same job in a bed, then size, then flowering time.

Do deer eat squirrel corn?

Mostly not. NC State lists it as resistant to deer and rabbits. No plant is proof against a hungry deer in a hard winter, but this one is low on the menu.

What flowers after squirrel corn?

Squirrel corn is over by early May. These start as it finishes and carry the same spot on, so it never goes flat:

• Bugleweed: from early May to late May, 6 in tall, to stand in front of it and cover its fading stems.
• Lily of the valley: from early May to late May, 8 in tall.
• Sweet woodruff: from early May to early June, 8 in tall.

What does squirrel corn look like in winter?

Squirrel corn has long gone by winter: it dies down in summer, soon after flowering, and comes back in spring.

Is squirrel corn good for bees and butterflies?

Squirrel corn is visited by bees, butterflies and songbirds.

It is native to the United States and Canada.