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Bishop's Cap Mitella diphylla

Other Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
my-TEL-uh dy-FIL-uh
Description

Bishop's Cap is a flowering, herbaceous perennial in the saxifrage family and native to North America. It is a small plant, reaching about a foot in height or width. This slender, woodland plant with tiny white, fringed flowers of 5 delicate petals blooms in the spring. It has basal leaves that are heart-shaped and hairy-stemmed as well as a pair of similar, but stemless, leaves two-thirds up the flower stalk. The genus name, Mitella, means "little miter", because the shape of the mature seed capsules resembles a miter, a headdress worn by bishops in certain traditional Christian sects. The species name, diphylla, means "two-leaved", in reference to the two, opposite, cauline (non-basal) leaves on the flowering stalk.

Bishop's Cap prefers a rich, moist, woodland setting where the soil is organically rich, acidic, well-drained, and consistently moist and there is abundant shade. It can tolerate drier soils or full shade conditions. The root system can produce vegetative colonies from rhizomes. The plant self-sows in a rich soil and can spread quickly.

The flowering stalk has 1/8 inch white flowers spaced up to 1" apart along the stem and give the appearance of snowflakes. They are best viewed with a magnifying glass or hand lens to appreciate the geometry of the blossom. Bishop's Cap can be slow to establish and is picky about its growing conditions. Once it is settled in with the right level of shade and moisture, it can become a jewel in a spring shade garden. Because of the small flower size, plant where the flowers can be enjoyed up close.

Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems:

No known diseases or insect pests.

See this plant in the following landscape:
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade garden#NC native#herbaceous perennial#small flowers#spring interest#flowers late spring#flowers early summer#NC Native Pollinator Plant#wildflower#woodland#evergreen perenial
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
Tags:
#shade garden#NC native#herbaceous perennial#small flowers#spring interest#flowers late spring#flowers early summer#NC Native Pollinator Plant#wildflower#woodland#evergreen perenial
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Mitella
    Species:
    diphylla
    Family:
    Saxifragaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Perennial
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Division
    Root Cutting
    Seed
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    North America from Quebec south to Georgia and west to Ohio.
    Distribution:
    Northeast, central, and western United States.
    Wildlife Value:
    Flowers are pollinated by Syrphid flies and small short-tongued bees.
    Dimensions:
    Height: 0 ft. 9 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 0 ft. 6 in. - 0 ft. 9 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Herbaceous Perennial
    Native Plant
    Wildflower
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Habit/Form:
    Clumping
    Erect
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Medium
  • 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:
    Clay
    High Organic Matter
    Loam (Silt)
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Occasionally Wet
    Available Space To Plant:
    Less than 12 inches
    NC Region:
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Black
    Display/Harvest Time:
    Fall
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Length:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Width:
    < 1 inch
    Fruit Description:
    Small black seeds are held in open, upward facing mature fruit capsules, and are splash dispersed by raindrops. Fruit is shaped like a miter (bishop’s headdress), hence one of the common names.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Raceme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Cup
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    < 1 inch
    Flower Description:
    Five to twenty small, 1/8 inch, cup-shaped white flowers on a 4 to 8 inch, slender, elongated spike. Five fringed petals resemble a snowflake are arranged singly on the upper portion of a stem.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Broadleaf Evergreen
    Leaf Color:
    Green
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Alternate
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Cordate
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Crenate
    Dentate
    Lobed
    Hairs Present:
    Yes
    Leaf Length:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Width:
    1-3 inches
    Leaf Description:
    A single pair of heart-shaped, three-lobed, toothed, stalkless leaves are half way up the flowering stalk. Basal leaves, up to 3 inches, are long-stalked, hairy, ovate, lobed and resemble maple leaves.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Green
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Cross Section:
    Round
    Stem Form:
    Straight
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    The flowering stalk is slender, light green, and pubescent.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Woodland
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Native Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Shade Garden
    Design Feature:
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Bees
    Pollinators