Future Plants by Randy Stewart: Waterleaf

Friday, December 30, 2011

Waterleaf

Hydrophyllum

* photo taken by L.D. Bailey @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Hydrophyllum appendiculatum ( Great Waterleaf )
A perennial, reaching up to 20 inches, that is native to rich deciduous woods in eastern North America ( from eastern Nebraska to southeast Minnesota to Escanaba and Traverse City, Michigan to Saginaw, Michigan to southern Ontario to northern Ohio and southwest Pennsylvania; south to eastern Kansas to central Arkansas to far northern Alabama to southwest Pennsylvania ). It is endangered in Kansas, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Ontario, North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi. It formerly occurred locally near Rochester, New York but is now extinct in that state. In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it was abundant along the Detroit River, around Point Pelee as well as the Lake Erie islands during the 1800s. It was also abundant on the Ohio shore during that time.
The flowers appear during late spring.
Hardy zones 3 to 7.

* photos taken by Jennifer Anderson, hosted by the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

Hydrophyllum canadense ( Canada Waterleaf )
A perennial, reaching up to 2.3 feet, that is native to rich moist woodland in northeast North America ( from north-central Iowa to southern Wisconsin to Traverse City, Michigan to Sauble Beach, Ontario to southern Quebec & Vermont; south to Missouri to northern Alabama & Georgia ). In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it was abundant at Detroit, Michigan during the 1800s. It occurred only sporadically on the Ohio shore during that time.
The deeply lobed leaves are shaped like the White Oak.
The spring foliage is very attractive, blue-green and heavily spotted gray. During summer the foliage turns to green.
The white flowers are borne during early summer.
Hardy zones 4 to 8 in partial to full shade on moist soil.

* photo taken on Aug 20 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

Hydrophyllum macrophyllum ( Largeleaf Waterleaf )
A biennial, reaching up to 2.5 feet in height, that is native to the eastern U.S. ( from central Illinois to far northeast Indiana to central Pennsylvania; south to western Arkansas to northern Alabama to northern Georgia to Maryland ). It is endangered in Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Maryland where it does not exist naturally east of the Catoctin Mountains. A small colony along the Vermillion River on the Ohio shore during the 1800s has since disappeared and is further north than where Largeleaf Waterleaf currently grows in the wild. The 5-lobed leaves are up to 6 x 6 inches in size. The foliage is variegated with grayish-white later turning to bright green then finally just solid green in the middle.
The lavender flowers, up to 0.7 inches wide, appear during late spring.
Hardy zones 5 to 7 in partial shade on moist, fertile, humus-rich, well drained soil.

* USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database

* photos taken on May 27 2017 @ Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna, VA

Hydrophyllum virginianum ( Virginia Waterleaf )
A slow growing, evergreen, rhizomatous, clumping perennial, reaching up to 2.5 foot in height, that is native to rich deciduous woodlands of eastern North America ( from southern Manitoba to Michigan's Upper Peninsula to near Tobermory, Ontario to southern Quebec & New Hampshire; south to eastern Oklahoma to North Carolina ). In the Windsor/Essex County, Ontario region; it was abundant on the Lake Erie islands as well as the Ohio shore during the 1800s.
The deeply-lobed leaves are up 6 to 6 inches in size. The foliage is bright green with whitish blotches at first, later turning to solid mid-green.
The white to lavender flowers, up to 1 inch wide, are borne late spring into early summer.
Hardy zones 3 to 8 in partial to full shade on just about any moist, humus-rich, well drained soil.

* photo taken by Jennifer Anderson @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database