Family

Berberidaceae

Description

Umbrella plant (Diphylleia cymosa) is a rare herbaceous perennial native to the moist, wooded slopes of the southern Appalachian Mountains. It forms colonies of large, deeply notched leaves that appear in pairs atop tall stems, giving the plant its other common name, “American umbrella leaf.” White, six-petaled flowers bloom in late spring and are followed by clusters of deep blue berries on red pedicels, which add subtle late-season interest. Best suited to cool, shaded sites with humus-rich, consistently moist soil, this plant is prized in naturalistic woodland gardens, adding a dramatic, almost prehistoric texture to understory plantings.

Endemic to the southeastern U.S., Diphylleia cymosa grows in rich coves, streambanks, and shaded forest hollows from western North Carolina to northeastern Alabama, often at elevations above 2,000 feet.

Bloom Time

May to June