Tiarella cordifolia ([Heart-leaved] Foamflower)

Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic

Moist woods and stream banks are home to this charming wildflower that is less common to absent in the eastern portions of the Mid-Atlantic Region and is indigenous in NoVA only in Fairfax County. It looks as wonderful as a ground cover in shady locations as it does in a container on a patio or balcony. The plant’s tiny, star-shaped flowers and fine-textured stamens resemble foam, accounting for its common name.

Print Version (Legal Size): Tiarella cordifolia ([Heart-leaved] Foamflower)Tiarella cordifolia, (Heart-leaved) Foamflower Ground Cover Height: 1⁄2–1 foot Spread: 1–2 feet Bloom Color: White Characteristics Clump-forming, herbaceous perennial Oval to heart-shaped, lobed leaves with soft sheen and often deep red mottling along the veins Airy racemes of tiny white flowers with finely textured, long stamens bloom from April to July Leaves may become red-bronze in autumn and remain evergreen in mild winters Spreads quickly by stolons Attributes Tolerates rabbits; intolerant of waterlogged, winter soil No serious pests or diseases Deer seldom severely damage Ethnobotanic and therapeutic uses Attracts small bees, flies and butterflies Growing and Maintenance Tips Soil Requirements: Average, well-drained Light Requirements: Partial Shade, Shade Water Requirements: Moist Soil should be neither too wet nor too dry Use in borders, in rock and woodland gardens, en masse as a ground cover, and to control erosion Hardiness: USDA Zones 4–9 Excellent Replacement for Glechoma hederacea - Ground Ivy Hedera helix - English Ivy Liriope species Pachysandra terminalis - Japanese Pachysandra Vinca minor - Periwinkle
Learn more about other Mid-Atlantic plants: Tried and True Plant Fact Sheets