The specific epithet borealis means "of the north," which alludes to the fact that the species tends to thrive in the boreal forests of eastern Canada and northeastern United States.

[4][5] The term "bluebead" refers to the plant's small blue spherical fruit, perhaps its most striking feature.

At full growth, a shoot has 2–4 clasping and curved, slightly succulent leaves with parallel venation.

[12] Clintonia borealis is a wide-ranging species in eastern North America, from Newfoundland and Labrador across New England into the Great Lakes region west to Manitoba and Minnesota.

It is extremely slow to spread, but established clones can usually survive many later modifications, as long as sunlight remains limited.

[citation needed] Like other slow-growing forest plants, such as Trillium species, Clintonia is extremely sensitive to grazing by white-tailed deer.

[3] Hunters in North Quebec were said to have rubbed their traps with the roots because bears are attracted to its odor.