Tolmiea menziesii

Common Names

Piggyback Plant, Youth On Age, Thousand Mothers, Pickaback Plant, Mother of Thousands

Summary

Tolmiea menziesii, commonly called Piggyback Plant, is an evergreen perennial native to western North America, where it forms a low ground cover in moist forests and along streams. It grows as dense mounds of hairy, heart-shaped leaves with lobes and trailing stems, and plantlets develop at the junction of each leaf blade and petiole, dropping to root and produce new plants. In spring, loose racemes of small tubular purplish-brown flowers rise above the foliage, attracting bees and butterflies. The plant can spread by leaf-based plantlets, by rhizomes, and by seeds.

It prefers shade to part sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil, and outdoors is hardy in USDA zones 7a–9b, suitable for woodland gardens, ground cover, or hanging baskets. Propagation is easily achieved by removing plantlets from leaf bases or by division; indoors, provide bright indirect light and regular moisture, avoiding direct sun and waterlogging. Maintenance is generally light, with pruning to control growth, and the piggyback habit enables multiple plants to establish from leaf bases.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

12-24 inches

Spread

12-18 inches

Hardiness Zones

Zones 7a-9b

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade, tolerates full shade to partial shade, may tolerate partial sun with bright indirect light.

Soil Type

Moist, well-draining loam rich in organic matter

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil that remains consistently moist and not waterlogged

Soil pH

5-7, slightly acidic to neutral

Bloom Color

Insignificant

Bloom Time

Spring to early Summer

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Green

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen broadleaf

Growth Rate

Fast-growing

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Division, Layering

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees and butterflies