Vancouveria hexandra

Vancouveria hexandra, Inside Out Flower, is a noteworthy N.W. native woodland groundcover.  It has pretty green foliage with interesting ternate leaves, giving it another common name, Duck’s Foot.  The delicate sprays of distinctive white flowers in late spring resemble it’s close relative, Epimedium.  Both are herbaceous members of the barberry family that also gives us other interesting genera including Podophyllum and Jeffersonia.

Inside out flower resembles a shooting star 

Vancouveria hexandra is found at low to mid elevations in our local forests and is a tough and adaptable perennial.  Often evergreen in mild winter conditions, it is deciduous when grown in colder weather .  It is also quite cold hardy and is reported to thrive in gardens in Pennsylvania and Vermont, far from its Pacific NW native habitat.

Vancouveria hexandra spreads slowly by underground rhizomes to form a charming groundcover to 18” tall.  Grow in part to full shade in humus rich, moist to dry soil.  Because of its drought tolerance, it is a welcome addition to our dry shade garden.

Dry shade garden with Menziesia ferruginea

Available now at the nursery.  We also expect to offer it in our 2012 online mail order catalog.