John's Cabbage Hydrophyllum virginianum

Eastern Waterleaf is a tall (1 to 2 feet), upright, herbaceous perennial, wildflower in the waterleaf family that is native to the moist woodlands of eastern Canada and the United States, including the Piedmont and mountains of North Carolina. It spreads by rhizomes and seeds to form large colonies. Blooming occurs in early spring to July with small, white to lilac, bell-shaped flowers in clusters on 4 inch long stalks that attract bees. Lower leaves up to 10 inches long are deeply divided into 5 to 7 sharply and coarsely toothed green leaflets (deep lobes); leaflets on the upper leaves are not as deeply cut. The young leaves of spring have a mottled white pattern, as if the leaf were spotted with water, that later leaves do not have. The genus name is from the Greek hydor meaning water and phyllon meaning leaf in reference to markings on plant leaves. The species name is in reference to Virginia being part of the native territory for this plant.

Eastern Waterleaf prefers fertile, consistently moist, well-drained soil in partial sun to light shade. It will tolerate wet soil and can spread aggressively under ideal conditions. This plant can make a care-free ground cover in shady woodland settings or the margins of ponds or streams. Foliage is occasionally browsed by deer. The plant can be propagated by dividing the rhizome in the fall when the plant is dormant, making sure that each division has a leaf bud and some roots.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:  Its aggressive spreading habit does not make this an ideal planting in a small garden.  

No known diseases or insect pests.