Description
Twinleaf, Jeffersonia diphylla
QUART POT – rare spring ephemeral
Light: Shade, Part Shade
Moisture: Medium
Soil: Rich, Limestone
Height: 8″–18″
Bloom Season: April
Bloom Color: White
Notes: This uncommon spring ephemeral has dark green basal leaves which are divided into symmetrical lobes that look as if they are two separate leaves. Its stems are thin and wiry, and its showy, white flowers look very similar to those of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) although they are not in the same family. Its flowers are fleeting—a strong wind or a hard rain can knock the flowers right off from their leafless stalks, but you can enjoy their unusual leaves until fall.
After the petals drop, the leaves fully open and green fruit forms as a roughly pear-shaped capsule that may be hidden under the leaves. When the capsule is dry, its hinged lid opens up like a little trash bin to reveal the shiny, light brown seeds that are dispersed by ants.
The plant is slow to mature and may take several years to flower. Be patient and you will be rewarded!
Plant it under deciduous trees where it will be in part sun in early spring and a shady spot in the hot Summer months.
Photos by Ruth Oldenburg
