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Hydrophyllum virginianum in springtime |
I noticed a few patches of Virginia Waterleaf (Hydrophyllum virginianum) in our woodland the other day--not the spring flowers, but the foliage.
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Hydrophyllum virginianum this fall |
Normally they'd be dormant by now in my climate--either dried by parched late-summer days or liquefied by autumn frost. Neither has happened here ... yet.
It's been unseasonably warm and rainy through September and October. We still haven't had a frost (although some areas nearby have had a very light one). In any case, the Virginia Waterleaf is still green.
![flowers and foliage](https://c1.staticflickr.com/6/5811/30633454776_7d3c009b9a_z.jpg)
In the spring and summer, it's a hearty and hardy woodland garden plant. Some consider it a little "weedy," but our woodland is a bit wild. We tend to take a "hands-off" approach in this part of the property--removing only non-native invasive plants.
Virginia Waterleaf has a welcome home in the woodland and the woodland edge. It's a good placeholder to compete with Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), which is a non-native invasive that would take over the woods if not removed.
![wildflower patch](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5629/30669914095_1d7d423b20.jpg)
Virginia Waterleaf is a natural, pleasant companion to Trilliums, ferns, and other woodland plants. It's a fascinating little plant, really.
![spring](https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5330/30038610354_19b09e39eb.jpg)
![buds](https://c3.staticflickr.com/6/5722/30370346450_2655194ac3.jpg)
![flowers](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5545/30669923575_99d704c890.jpg)
![seeds](https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5478/30633456236_5284023d9e.jpg)
From emergence to bud, to bloom to seed, and beyond.
![foliage and bud](https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5556/30669917135_5b96ba903b_z.jpg)
The name comes from the water-drop-like marks on the foliage.
Its native distribution extends through eastern North America--from Quebec to Manitoba, south through the Carolinas and west to Kansas, according to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. Growing conditions include:
- Prefers part shade or shade;
- Thrives in rich, mesic soils;
- Spreads via rhizomes and seeds; and
- Is hardy in USDA zones 4-9.
![tight buds](https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5476/30582050731_a6a0687389_z.jpg)
I find the tight buds particularly enchanting.
![hairy flowers](https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5650/30038611724_66cf69fbca_z.jpg)
The five-petal flowers with hairy stamens and sepals are quite whimsical, and they welcome pollinators during their brief bloom time. The color ranges from white to a light lavender hue.
![circular](https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5500/30669919395_d747931b1e.jpg)
Over the years, my appreciation has grown for this fluffy native plant with "water-stained" foliage.
(Linking to Gail's Wildflower Wednesday, a few days late.)