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Native Plants of the Southeast

Tiarella cordifolia collina
Foamflower, Wherry's Foamflower

Foamflower is a beautiful, clumping flowering perennial with immense versatility for shady gardens, featuring racemes of starry florets with a “foamy” effect above foot-tall mounds of attractive basal foliage. The leaf shape may vary from almost heart-shaped to deeply lobed with pronounced venation, and the leaf veins are often tinged with burgundy. Naturally occurring populations show a lot of variability in leaf shape and color patterns, and the nursery trade has introduced many cultivars exploiting these differences. Taxonomists have divided the species into two varieties: Tiarella cordifolia var. cordifolia (Allegheny Foamflower) and T. cordifolia var. collina (formerly Tiarella wherryi). The two are similar in appearance, but Allegheny Foamflower is a bit shorter, and most significantly, it is stoloniferous and spreads fairly quickly to form a groundcover. In contrast, Wherry’s Foamflower, a little taller, partitions its energy into more flower production rather than into stoloniferous offsets. You might say Wherry’s Foamflower is more respectful of limited garden space. Also, the distribution of Wherry’s Foamflower is more southerly and it is therefore more tolerant of heat and humidity. Foamflower is found on stream edges and moist woodland sites. It prefers evenly moist, slightly acidic to neutral soil in light shade where it will complement other shady plants like ferns, Solomon’s Seal, and Dwarf Crested Iris. Foamflower looks lovely planted along shady walkways, mixed in a landscape, or in stand-alone colonies. Both varieties of Foamflower won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit in 1993, and the Georgia Native Plant Society selected Foamflower as the organization’s 2003 Plant of the Year.

Last Updated: June 7, 2019

Key Info

Scientific Name: Tiarella cordifolia L. var. collina
Common Names: Foamflower, Wherry's Foamflower
Family Name: Saxifragaceae (Saxifrage Family)
Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
Uses: Woodland Garden, Butterfly garden, Groundcover, Rock garden, Edging plant, Container, Mixed border, Pondside or Streamside plat, Shady perennial garden
Light Requirement: Dappled sun, Full shade-bright, Winter sun, Partial/sunny, Partial/shady
Moisture Requirement: Medium, Moist well drained
Bloom Times: Apr, May, Jun
Flower Color: White/pink
Special Characteristics: Attracts bees, Attracts butterflies, Tolerates shade, Flowers fragrant, Evergreen, Persistent basal rosette, Ornamental foliage

Additional Info

Habit: Wherry's Foamflower grows as a neat, mounded clump of leaves, emerging from a central crown held at or just below the soil surface.
Height: 1'
Spread: 1-2'
Growth Rate: Moderate to fast
Soil Conditions: Average to moist, well drained soil, circumneutral pH, organic, sandy loam, loam, loamy clay.
Leaves: Wherry's Foamflower leaves are covered with soft hairs and are generally semi-evergreen, although the rosettes of the leaves often turn a pleasing bronze while becoming flattened in the winter. The leaf shape is variable, from almost heart-shaped to deeply lobed (variety collina), 2 to 3 inches wide and 3 to 4 inches long. The lobes (3 to 9) can be rounded like columbine or angled like a red maple leaf, and the sinuses between the lobes may be shallow or deeply cut. The leaf veins are often washed with maroon patterns.
Flowers (or reproductive structures): Wherry's Foamflower inflorescences are bottle-brush-like racemes of many small bell-shaped or spidery florets which mature from the base upward. Each tiny floret is 5-lobed with narrow petals that spread into a star shape and exserted anthers that produce a feathery texture.The peduncle stands 1-2 times the height of the leaf canopy. The inflorescence buds are formed during the summer but they do not grow and open until after they have been exposed to 10 or more weeks of cold temperatures the following year.
Fruit: The fruit is a small lopsided capsule. "Tiarella" comes from "tiara", an upright Persian crown and the diminutive"-ella" which refers to the small turban-shaped dry fruit, a capsule that splits into two segments full of shiny black seed.
Natural Distribution: Moist deciduous woods, stream banks in mountainous regions.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 3 to 9
USDA Wetland Indicator Status in NC: FAC
Pollination: Bees, butterflies, moths
Wildlife Connections: Astringent Foamflower leaves are generally left alone by deer and rabbits. Foamflowers are generally not affected by insect pests.
Cultural Notes: Foamflowers are low maintenance plants in that they can remain undivided for years without losing vigor. Although established Foamflowers can tolerate some dry conditions, it prefers moist, organic soils and a good deal of shade. If planted in dry shade, a high level of organic matter should be maintained with annual application of shredded leaves or compost. Wet soils, particularly in winter, can be fatal.
Downside: Other than occasional issues with slugs and snails, Foamflowers are generally free of insect pests and diseases. Foamflower can exhibit powdery mildew if grown too closely, and it cannot tolerate wet feet in winter.
Propagation: Foamflower var. collina can be propagated by seed or by dividing the rootball in spring.
USDA/NRCS Plant Distribution Map: View Map at USDA.gov
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