Bishop's Cap Mitella diphylla
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- my-TEL-uh dy-FIL-uh
- Description
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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:
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- Cultivars / Varieties:
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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.
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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
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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:
- 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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Cottage Garden
- Native Garden
- Pollinator Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators