Houttuynia cordata: Edibility
This plant is consumed in areas of the Far East
Plant Profile: Houttuynia cordata
Taxonomy: Houttuynia cordataNames
Chameleon Plant, Rainbow Plant
Phonetic Spelling:hoo-TY-nee-ah kor-DAY-tah
Genus:Houttuynia
Species:cordata
Family:Saururaceae
The Chameleon Plant is an aggressive ground cover known for its creeping growth, which propagates through rhizomes. It typically reaches heights of one to two feet and can spread extensively along the ground as it matures. While it thrives in shady conditions, it does not tolerate drought well, favoring moist soil or shallow water (1-2 inches). Once established, this plant can be quite challenging to eradicate. If you decide to incorporate it into your garden, it's advisable to plant it in a 1 to 2-gallon container or in an area bordered by a sidewalk or driveway to help control its spread.
The term "Cordata" is derived from Latin, meaning heart-shaped, which describes the shape of its leaves.
Houttuynia cordata Feature Summary
Houttuynia cordata Image Gallery
Tags
#deciduous
#invasive
#weedy
#fragrant leaves
#high maintenance
#fast growing
#aggressive
#summer flowers
#container plants
Similar Plants
Houttuynia cordata Feature Summary
Attributes
This plant is consumed in areas of the Far East
Perennial
Flowers
Tiny flowers are on spikes surrounded by four white bracts.
White
Spring
Summer
Bracts
Cross
< 1 inch
Leaves
Blue green ovate to cordate simple leaves with entire margins. Leaves may be aromatic if crushed
Deciduous
Green
Blue
Simple
Alternate
Ovate
Cordate
Entire
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Ground Cover
Water Plant
Deciduous
Creeping
Rapid
High
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Moist
Occasionally Wet
Frequent Standing Water
12 inches-3 feet
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
10a
10b
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Stem
Landscape
Wet Soil
Heavy Shade
Weedy
Invasive Species
Houttuynia cordata Image Gallery
Houttuynia cordata Attributes
Houttuynia cordata: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Houttuynia cordata: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Houttuynia cordata Flowers
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Description
Tiny flowers are on spikes surrounded by four white bracts.
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Color
White
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Houttuynia cordata: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Houttuynia cordata Leaves
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Description
Blue green ovate to cordate simple leaves with entire margins. Leaves may be aromatic if crushed
Houttuynia cordata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Color
Blue
Green
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Houttuynia cordata: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy
Houttuynia cordata: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Houttuynia cordata Whole Plant Traits
Houttuynia cordata: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Houttuynia cordata: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Houttuynia cordata: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Houttuynia cordata: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Houttuynia cordata: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Houttuynia cordata: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Houttuynia cordata Cultural Conditions
Houttuynia cordata: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Houttuynia cordata: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Houttuynia cordata: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Houttuynia cordata: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
10a
10b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Houttuynia cordata: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Houttuynia cordata Stem
Houttuynia cordata: Stem Color
Red/Burgundy
Houttuynia cordata: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Houttuynia cordata: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Houttuynia cordata Landscape
Houttuynia cordata: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Houttuynia cordata: Problems
Allelopathic
Contact Dermatitis
Frequent Disease Problems
Frequent Insect Problems
Invasive Species
Malodorous
Messy
Poisonous to Humans
Problem for Cats
Problem for Children
Problem for Dogs
Problem for Horses
Short-lived
Spines/Thorns
Weak Wood
Weedy
