Polygaloides chamaebuxus

{{Short description|Species of shrub}}

{{Redirect-synonym|Shrubby milkwort|Polygala lindheimeri}}

{{Speciesbox

|image = Polygala chamaebuxus.jpg

|genus = Polygaloides

|species = chamaebuxus

|authority = (L.) O.Schwarz

|synonyms =

{{Species list

|Chamaebuxus alpestris|Spach

|Chamaebuxus coriacea|Opiz

|Chamaebuxus polygaleoides|Schur

|Chamaebuxus vulgaris|Schur

|Polygala chamaebuxus|L.

|Tertria chamaebuxus|(L.) Schrank

}}

|synonyms_ref = {{cite web |title=Polygaloides chamaebuxus (L.) O.Schwarz |work=Plants of the World Online |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:692612-1 |access-date=2020-04-11 }}

}}

Polygaloides chamaebuxus, synonym Polygala chamaebuxus, the shrubby milkwort, is an ornamental plant in the family Polygalaceae.{{cite book | author=Pink, A. | url=https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11892|title=Gardening for the Million| year=2004 | publisher=Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation}} Its flowers are solitary or in pairs in the leaf axils. The inner two sepals, the wings, are upright and white to yellow, sometimes pinkish or purple. The keel petals are bright yellow, aging to brownish-red or purple. It is native to the Alps and the mountains of west-central Europe.{{Citation |last=McNeill |first=T.G. |year=1968 |editor-last=Tutin |editor-first=T.G. |editor2-last=Heywood |editor2-first=V.H. |editor3-last=Burges |editor3-first=N.A. |editor4-last=Valentine |editor4-first=D.H. |editor5-last=Walters |editor5-first=S.M. |editor6-last=Webb |editor6-first=D.A. |contribution=Polygala |title=Flora Europaea, Volume 2: Rosaceae to Umbelliferae |page=231ff |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0-521-06662-4 |name-list-style=amp }}{{cite web|url=http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~gdk/stabg_new/poms/2008/nov08pom.htm|title=Plant of the Month: November 2008|date=November 2008|publisher=St. Andrew's Botanic Garden|access-date=26 February 2012}} It was known to be grown in cultivation in about 1658 and was illustrated by Carolus Clusius. It has been given the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. {{cite web | url = https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/357132/Polygaloides-chamaebuxus/Details | title = Polygaloides chamaebuxus | website = www.rhs.org | publisher = Royal Horticultural Society | access-date = 24 January 2021}}

Several cultivars are also cultivated for garden use,{{cite web|url=http://www.nurseriesonline.co.uk/mailOrderSpecialist/Polygala-chamaebuxus.html|title=Polygala chamaebuxus - Plant Profile and Growing Conditions|work=Nurseries Online UK|access-date=26 February 2012}} including 'Grandiflora', whose flowers are purple-red and yellow.

The plants are hardy, forming low-lying clumps up to {{convert|6|in|cm}} high and {{convert|20|in|cm}} in diameter. They may be propagated from softwood cuttings taken in early in the growing season. Some varieties grow best in ericaceous conditions.

File:Polygala chamaebuxus var grandiflora.jpg