Intro: Weakly erect, rhizomatous perennial of cove hardwood forests, moist rocky forests and alluvial forests.

Stems: Stems branched, smooth or with hairs pressed close to stem.

Leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, broadly oval to triangular in outline, to 6 in. long, pinnately divided into 5-9 coarsely toothed and pointy segments, with scattered whitish spots that fade with age and sometimes lightly hairy.

Inforescence:

Flowers: Flowers in 1-2 rounded clusters on a terminal stalk; white to pale purple or purple-maroon; about ½ in. long; tubular-bell-shaped with 5 erect corolla lobes, 5 hairy and linear calyx lobes with feathery edges, and 5 hairy stamens bearing pale yellow anthers that turn brown with age.

Fruits: Fruit a round capsule.

Comments: Two varieties of Hydrophyllum virginianum are often distinguished on the basis of flower color: var. virginianum with white to pale purple flowers and var. atranthum with deep purple to maroon flowers. See technical manuals listed in the Appendix.

Height: 8-34 in.

plant sale text:

bloom table text:

description: Weakly erect, rhizomatous perennial of cove hardwood forests, moist rocky forests and alluvial forests.

stems: Stems branched, smooth or with hairs pressed close to stem.

leaves: Leaves alternate, petiolate, broadly oval to triangular in outline, to 6 in. long, pinnately divided into 5-9 coarsely toothed and pointy segments, with scattered whitish spots that fade with age and sometimes lightly hairy.

inflorescence:

flowers: Flowers in 1-2 rounded clusters on a terminal stalk; white to pale purple or purple-maroon; about ½ in. long; tubular-bell-shaped with 5 erect corolla lobes, 5 hairy and linear calyx lobes with feathery edges, and 5 hairy stamens bearing pale yellow anthers that turn brown with age.

fruits: Fruit a round capsule.

comments: Two varieties of Hydrophyllum virginianum are often distinguished on the basis of flower color: var. virginianum with white to pale purple flowers and var. atranthum with deep purple to maroon flowers. See technical manuals listed in the Appendix.

cultural notes:

germination code:

native range: eastern & central North America