Hydrophyllum canadense

Common Names

Broad-Leaf Waterleaf, Canada Waterleaf, Blunt-Leaf Waterleaf, Mapleleaf Waterleaf, Waterleaf

Summary

Hydrophyllum canadense, commonly called bluntleaf waterleaf, is a rhizomatous perennial native to eastern North America, forming colonies via long, scaly rhizomes and growing about 30–70 cm tall, basal leaves are lobed with silvery mottling, stem leaves are palmately lobed (5–9 lobes), flowers are white to lavender, bell-shaped, in clusters beneath the upper leaves, with long hairy filaments giving a lace-like appearance, it tolerates partial sun to deep shade and thrives in moist, humus-rich soils of moist forests and understories, it functions as a shade groundcover in woodland or naturalized settings, spreading via rhizomes to form colonies, propagation occurs by seed, which requires three months of cold stratification to germinate, or by division in spring or autumn, flowers attract native bees, making it a pollinator-friendly addition to shade gardens while enhancing biodiversity

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

10 inches-2.5 feet

Spread

0.5-2.5 feet

Hardiness Zones

Zones 4-8

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally partial shade; also tolerates partial sun and full shade.

Soil Type

Moist, humus-rich soil

Soil Drainage

Moist soils (wet to moderately moist)

Soil pH

6.0-8.0, Neutral to alkaline soils, Tolerates alkaline conditions above 8.0

Bloom Color

White

Bloom Time

Spring, Summer, and Fall

Foliage Color

Green

Fall Foliage Color

Purple

Leaf Lifecycle

Deciduous

Growth Rate

20–70 cm per year

Seasons of Interest

Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter

Propagation Methods

Seeds and Division

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts bees (including native bees and bumblebees), Waterleaf Mining Bee, wasps, flies, butterflies, and skippers