William Griffith Wilson, known to millions as Bill W., is recognized as the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous. Beyond the foundational texts and the Twelve Steps, a compelling piece of lore revolves around a specific plant associated with his final days. This botanical curiosity has evolved into a tangible symbol within the recovery community, representing the enduring nature of hope and the transmission of sobriety. The object of this widespread curiosity is a living metaphor that connects the fellowship’s early history to its contemporary practice of helping others.
Identifying the “Miracle Plant”
The plant widely known in recovery circles as the “Bill W. Plant” is the Swedish Ivy, scientifically identified as Plectranthus verticillatus. It is a durable, fast-growing perennial characterized by its scalloped, glossy green leaves and trailing stems. The plant is not a true ivy, and its common name is a misnomer, but its hardy nature and ease of propagation are central to its symbolic role. The story of the “miracle plant” is sometimes conflated with the lore surrounding the Night-blooming Cereus, famous for its rare, fleeting nocturnal bloom. However, the actual plant passed down through cuttings is the robust and easily shared Swedish Ivy. The plant’s ability to generate new, vigorous growth from a single cutting lent itself perfectly to the recovery movement’s core message.
The Historical Anecdote of Bill W. and the Bloom
The historical narrative of the Swedish Ivy begins in a hospital room in Miami, Florida, where Bill Wilson passed away in January 1971. A friend had previously given him a healthy Swedish Ivy plant, which remained with him during his last days. Following his death, Bill’s wife, Lois Wilson, brought the plant home to their residence in Katonah, New York, known as Stepping Stones.
Lois cared for the plant for many years, tending to its continuous growth until the mid-1980s. At that time, she passed the original plant on to Harriet Sevarino, the family’s long-time cook and companion. The plant’s journey into the wider AA fellowship began when Harriet gave a piece of it to Michael M., an AA member from Atlanta, Georgia. Lois requested that Michael share the plant with members of AA in Bill’s memory.
This act initiated the tradition of sharing the Swedish Ivy. Michael M. took cuttings and offshoots to AA members around the world. The plant’s remarkable ability to root quickly and thrive from small pieces allowed for its rapid distribution. This continuous, vibrant propagation symbolizes the way the message of recovery is passed from one person to the next, transforming the plant into a living, physical link to the fellowship’s co-founder.
Symbolic Significance in Recovery
The tradition of sharing cuttings from the Swedish Ivy plant provides a powerful, tactile metaphor for the principles of the Twelve Step program. The plant’s easy propagation means that when a small piece is taken away, the original plant is not diminished; in fact, the pruning often encourages new growth and vitality. This mirrors the central AA tenet that one maintains sobriety by “giving it away,” meaning that sharing one’s own experience and strength with another person in need reinforces one’s own recovery.
The continuous life of the plant, which has been passed down through generations of recovery, embodies the enduring nature of hope and the concept of spiritual awakening. Recipients of a clipping are tasked with nurturing it, which serves as a parallel to tending to one’s own spiritual growth. The act of planting the cutting, watching it root, and then growing it into a robust plant represents the transformative process of recovery itself.
The plant’s symbolism reinforces the fellowship’s message that life and growth can emerge from what might seem insignificant or discarded. Just as a small, unrooted clipping can develop into a strong, leafy plant, a person in the early stages of recovery can grow into a source of strength for others. The “Bill W. Plant” tradition thus serves as a tangible reminder that the program’s vitality is sustained by continuous sharing and the nurturing of new life.