Virginia Waterleaf Hydrophyllum virginianum
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- hy-droh-FIL-um vir-jin-ee-AY-num
- Description
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Eastern Waterleaf is a herbaceous perennial in the borage family that is native to the eastern USA. It is found in the Piedmont and mountains of NC and is found in moist to wet forests. It grows 1-2 feet tall and spreads by rhizomes and seeds forming large colonies. Blooming occurs in early spring to June with small bell-shaped flowers in clusters that attract bees. The young leaves have a mottled white pattern that later leaves do not have.
Eastern Waterleaf prefers fertile moist well-drained soil in partial to full shade. 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.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Var. atranthum
Purple flowers
- Var. atranthum
- Var. atranthum
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Var. atranthum
Purple flowers
- Var. atranthum
- Var. atranthum
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Hydrophyllum
- Species:
- virginianum
- Family:
- Boraginaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Tea from the roots was used medicinally.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- U.S.A.
- Distribution:
- AR , CT , DC , DE , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , SD , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers attract bees
- Edibility:
- Young leaves may be used in salads
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 4 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Perennial
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Habit/Form:
- Spreading
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- Low
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Shallow Rocky
- Soil pH:
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 8a, 8b
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Fruit:
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Description:
- Rounded seed capsules split open to disperse seeds in July to August
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Cyme
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Bell
- Flower Description:
- Terminal cymes with 8-20 small lavender, pink or white bell-shaped flowers with extruded stamens. Blooms from March to June
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- White
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Opposite
- Leaf Shape:
- Pinnatifid
- Leaf Margin:
- Serrate
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- The oval to triangular leaves are up to 6" long and 4" across and are pinnately divided into 3-5 leaflets or deep lobes with coarsely toothed margins. The tips are acute. The early spring leaves have small patches of white scattered across the upper surfaces giving a watermark look.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are green, reddish-green, or reddish-brown, and they are glabrous to slightly hairy with hairs that are curved or appressed against their stems.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
