Tiarella cordifolia
Tiarella cordifolia
Common names: Schaumblüte, Herzblättrige Schaumblüte
At a glance
- Light
- Shade
- Pot size
- from 3 l
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Flowering
- Apr–Jun
- Hardiness
- Hardy
Photo: CC BY-SA 3.0 · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
The Tiarella cordifolia, commonly known as foamflower or heartleaf foamflower, is a delicate shade-loving perennial from eastern North America that forms loose mats via short runners. From mid‑April to June it produces airy, white, candle‑shaped flowers atop heart‑shaped, slightly toothed leaves that turn reddish in autumn. It is an excellent groundcover for the edges of shrubs, under bushes, or in woodland garden zones where it thrives among ferns and ferns. Even out of bloom, it remains attractive due to its dense, winter‑green to semi‑evergreen leaf carpet.
Care instructions
Plant in humus‑rich, loosely moist soil in partial shade to shade; avoid heavy midday sun. A spot under light trees with even soil moisture, such as the edge of a woodland garden, best mimics its natural habitat. Water during prolonged dry spells, especially in the first year, and mulch in spring with leaf or bark compost to keep the soil moist and loose. After flowering, cut back spent stems to redirect energy to runner production. Every three to four years, dense clumps can be divided in early spring (weeks 10‑13) and replanted elsewhere.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
FloweringApr–Jun
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
moist, humus-rich, well-drained, nutrient-rich
Foamflower likes a humus-rich, evenly moist woodland soil, such as forms under deciduous trees. It does not tolerate waterlogging well; a free-draining subsoil with a good humus layer on top is ideal. It prefers slightly acidic to neutral soils and feels most at home in shady to partly shaded sites.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding woodland plant, foamflower needs hardly any extra nutrients. An annual mulch layer of leaf mould or rotted bark mulch in spring is quite enough. It imitates the natural nutrient cycle of the forest floor and at the same time keeps moisture in the soil.
Overwintering
Foamflower is hardy and needs no special protection. A loose layer of leaves over the clumps helps it get through the cold season well, much as in the natural woodland edge. In early spring you can carefully move the leaves aside so the new shoots get light.
Propagation
Methods
- Division
- From seed
- Runners
The easiest way to propagate foamflower is by dividing established clumps in spring or autumn. It forms runners above ground, through which it spreads on its own and which you can detach and move. Propagation by seed is also possible, but takes much longer to the first flowers. It is best to plant the divisions straight away in a humus-rich, partly shaded spot so that they establish quickly.
For your garden
Grow Tiarella cordifolia yourself
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