Chameleon Plant Houttuynia cordata
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- hoo-TY-nee-ah kor-DAY-tah
- Description
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Chameleon plant is groundcover in the Saururaceae family native to southeast Asia. The genus name Houttuynia comes from the 18th centry Dutch naturalist Martin Houttuyn. Cordata is Latin for heart-shaped referring to leaves.
With a creeping habit, it spreads quickly by rhizomes reaching one to two feet in height and can continuously spread along the ground as it grows. While it is very shade tolerant, it does not tolerate drought conditions, preferring moist soil to shallow standing water (1-2 in.) This plant can become very difficult to remove once established.
Exercise caution when using this plant in the landscape by putting it in a 1 to 2-gallon container in the ground, or an area bounded by sidewalk or driveway to contain it.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Aphids, slugs and snails can be problematic. Spreads aggressively, consider native alternatives in the left-hand column.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- 'Chameleon'
synonymous with 'Variegata' or 'Tricolor' leaves of red, pink, yellow, cream - 'Plena'
- 'Chameleon'
- 'Chameleon', 'Plena'
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- 'Chameleon'
synonymous with 'Variegata' or 'Tricolor' leaves of red, pink, yellow, cream - 'Plena'
- 'Chameleon'
- 'Chameleon', 'Plena'
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Houttuynia
- Species:
- cordata
- Family:
- Saururaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used in Vietnamese cooking
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Southeastern Asia
- Edibility:
- This plant is consumed in areas of the Far East
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 8 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Ground Cover
- Water Plant
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Creeping
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Frequent Standing Water
- Moist
- Occasional Flooding
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- 12 inches-3 feet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Cross
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Bracts
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Tiny flowers are on tall conical lime green spikes surrounded by four white bracts.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Alternate
- Leaf Shape:
- Cordate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Blue green ovate to cordate simple leaves with entire margins. Leaves may be aromatic with a foul fishy odor if crushed.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
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Landscape:
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Malodorous
- Weedy
