Mitella diphylla: Country Or Region Of Origin
S.w. Que. & NH to MN, s. to upland GA,TN & AR
Plant Profile: Mitella diphylla
Taxonomy: Mitella diphyllaNames
Bishops Cap, Miterwort, Two-leaf Miterwort
Phonetic Spelling:my-TEL-uh dy-FIL-uh
Genus:Mitella
Species:diphylla
Family:Saxifragaceae
This slender, native woodland species features small, white flowers adorned with five delicate, fringed petals that emerge in the spring. It boasts basal leaves that are heart-shaped and hairy, along with a pair of similar, stemless leaves positioned two-thirds up the flower stalk. This plant thrives best in a lush, moist woodland environment.
Mitella diphylla Feature Summary
Mitella diphylla Image Gallery
Tags
#shade garden
#spring interest
#wildflower garden
#woodlands
Similar Plants
Mitella diphylla Feature Summary
Attributes
S.w. Que. & NH to MN, s. to upland GA,TN & AR
Rich, moist woods, stream banks in AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Perennial
Seed
Root Cutting
Flowers
5-20 small, cup-shaped white flowers on a 4-8 in. slender, elongated spike; five fringed petals resemble a snowflake; arranged singly on upper portion of stem; fruit is shaped like a miter (bishop’s headdress)
White
Raceme
Spring
4-5 petals/rays
< 1 inch
Leaves
Single pair of heart-shaped, three-lobed, toothed, stalkless leaves half way up the flowering stalk; basal, up to 3 in. leaves are long-stalked, hairy, ovate, lobed; resemble maple leaves
Deciduous
Green
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Cordate
Lobed
Crenate
Dentate
1-3 inches
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Wildflower
Deciduous
Erect
Medium
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Occasionally Wet
Less than 12 inches
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
3a
3b
High Organic Matter
Stem
Landscape
Cottage Garden
Native Garden
Shade Garden
Specimen
Woodland
Pollinators
Mitella diphylla Image Gallery
Mitella diphylla Attributes
Mitella diphylla: Distribution
Rich, moist woods, stream banks in AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , GA , IA , IL , IN , KY , MA , MD , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , NH , NJ , NY , OH , PA , SC , TN , VA , VT , WI , WV
Mitella diphylla: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Mitella diphylla: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Mitella diphylla Flowers
Mitella diphylla: Flower Description
5-20 small, cup-shaped white flowers on a 4-8 in. slender, elongated spike; five fringed petals resemble a snowflake; arranged singly on upper portion of stem; fruit is shaped like a miter (bishop’s headdress)
Mitella diphylla: Flower Color
White
Mitella diphylla: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Mitella diphylla: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Mitella diphylla: 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
Mitella diphylla: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Mitella diphylla: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Mitella diphylla Leaves
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Description
Single pair of heart-shaped, three-lobed, toothed, stalkless leaves half way up the flowering stalk; basal, up to 3 in. leaves are long-stalked, hairy, ovate, lobed; resemble maple leaves
Mitella diphylla: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Color
Green
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Mitella diphylla: 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
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Mitella diphylla: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Mitella diphylla: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Mitella diphylla Whole Plant Traits
Mitella diphylla: 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
Mitella diphylla: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Mitella diphylla: 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
Mitella diphylla: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Mitella diphylla: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Mitella diphylla Cultural Conditions
Mitella diphylla: 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)
Mitella diphylla: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Mitella diphylla: 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
Mitella diphylla: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Mitella diphylla: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
Mitella diphylla: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Mitella diphylla Stem
Mitella diphylla: Stem Color
Green
Mitella diphylla: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Mitella diphylla: Stem Surface
Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)
Mitella diphylla: Stem Form
Straight
Zig Zags
Mitella diphylla Landscape
Mitella diphylla: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Mitella diphylla: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Mitella diphylla: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Mitella diphylla: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
