American Barrenwort

Vancouveria hexandra is a charming and delicate-looking deciduous groundcover related to the Epimediums. It is native to the forests of the Pacific Northwest and is excellently suited to UK woodland gardens. It produces thin, wiry stems that carry light green, three-lobed leaves, creating a soft, fern-like appearance. In late spring and early summer, it produces airy panicles of small, nodding white flowers that have reflexed petals, somewhat resembling tiny shooting stars. It is a graceful plant that spreads slowly via underground rhizomes to form a lush, attractive carpet. It is fully hardy (H5) and thrives in a position with partial to full shade and moist, humus-rich, acidic soil. Because of its light and airy habit, it works beautifully when interplanted with larger, bolder shade plants like Hostas or Rodgersias. It is relatively pest-resistant and provides a quiet elegance to the woodland floor. Although it dies back in winter, it returns reliably each spring.

Sun: Partial shade.

Soil: Moist, acidic, humus-rich soil.

Hardiness: H5 — down to −15°C.

Flowering: May, Jun.