Jeffersonia diphylla Play pronunciation

Twinleaf is a rhizomatous, clump-forming, early-spring-blooming herbaceous perennial wildflower native to Ontario, Canada, and the North Central and Eastern United States, and is usually found growing in moist, nutrient-rich deciduous forests, generally over limestone rocks. Smooth, purplish stems bear large, bluish-green, wing-like leaflets with shallow lobes. It produces solitary, white, cup-shaped blooms from March through April. Each bloom is star-like with 4 sepals, 8 petals, 8 upright yellow stamens with yellow anthers, and a green ovary. The blooms grow on a leafless, 8 to 12-inch stalk above the immature leaves, and mature plants grow up to 3 feet tall. Twinleaf is a member of the barberry family (Berberidaceae). The genus name Jeffersonia is in honor of Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States. The specific epithet diphylla is derived from two Greek words: di, meaning two, and phyllon, meaning leaf. This refers to the plant's two leaflets that look like two leaves.

This plant prefers partial shade and consistently moist, well-drained, acidic, humus-rich soil. It is tolerant of heavy shade and performs best situated under the canopies of large deciduous trees. It is winter hardy in zones 5 through 7. Twinleaf is drought-tolerant once established. Best propagated by seeds; however, it may be propagated by division in late summer and fall. This plant does not like to be disturbed and appreciates mulch to keep its roots cool.

Twinleaf is under threat in some states due to habitat loss, logging, and plant poaching. It is critically imperiled in Georgia, Iowa, New Jersey, and New York. It is listed as a Special Concern species in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan. In North Carolina, it is a threatened species, found only in a few sites in the mountains. It is more widespread in eastern Tennessee and southern Virginia. Gardeners should not collect this wildflower from its natural habitat. It is best to purchase seeds from a reputable nursery. 

Consider twinleaf for use as a mass groundcover planting in a woodland-, native-, or shade garden.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Monitor for snails and slugs; otherwise, no significant insect pests or diseases. Its flowers are short-lived, and the blooming season is short. The plant tends to decline in mid to late summer.