Tiarella cordifolia: Country Or Region Of Origin
Nova Scotia, Appalachian Mountains to Alabama West to Minnesota
Plant Profile: Tiarella cordifolia
Taxonomy: Tiarella cordifoliaNames
False Miterwort, Foamflower
Phonetic Spelling:tee-ah-REL-lah kor-dih-FOH-lee-ah
Genus:Tiarella
Species:cordifolia
Family:Saxifragaceae
Foamflower is a charming, delicate perennial herb native to the region, prized in gardens for its tidy, attractive foliage and clusters of creamy white blossoms. Although it grows slowly, Foamflower can serve as an effective groundcover due to its ability to spread through underground rhizomes. In contrast, Wherry's foamflower, a related hybrid, forms clumps and propagates through slender runners, creating colonies without the use of rhizomes. This plant is not drought-resistant and thrives in naturally moist environments such as forests, coves, and well-drained lowlands.
In 1986, Foamflower was honored as the NC Wildflower of the Year, a designation awarded by the North Carolina Botanical Garden with support from the Garden Club of North Carolina.
Seasons of Interest:
- Leaves: Spring/Summer/Fall
- Blooms: Early Spring
- Fruit/Seed/Nut: Spring
Tiarella cordifolia Feature Summary
Tiarella cordifolia Image Gallery
Tags
#white
#deciduous
#perennial
#wildlife plant
#moths
#shade tolerant
#nectar plant
#NC native
#rhizomes
#native garden
#dainty
#groundcover
#spring interest
#pollinator plant
#native wildflower
#wildflower garden
#food source herbage
#food source nectar
#food source pollen
#coastal FAC
#bird friendly
#flies
#butterfly friendly
#Piedmont Mountains FACU
#pollinators
#bee friendly
#audubon
#NC Wildflower of the Year
Similar Plants
Tiarella cordifolia is often confused with:
Tiarella cordifolia Feature Summary
Attributes
Nova Scotia, Appalachian Mountains to Alabama West to Minnesota
Flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Moderately deer resistant.
Perennial
Seed
Division
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
Fruits are available May-June
Spring
Flowers
Narrow cluster of dainty small white-to-pink flowers on the upper portion of a leafless stalk floating above the leaves; five small petals that taper into stalked bases. Blooms in early spring (April-June)
Pink
White
Spring
4-5 petals/rays
Leaves
2" to 4" broad, long-stalked leaves; roundish to egg-shaped with heart-shaped base; three to seven shallow, sharply toothed lobes. Leaves are basal and resemble maple leaves.
Deciduous
Green
Rosulate
Lobed
1-3 inches
Whole Plant Traits
Perennial
Herbaceous Perennial
Native Plant
Wildflower
Ground Cover
Deciduous
Slow
Low
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Good Drainage
Moist
12 inches-3 feet
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
4a
4b
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
3a
3b
High Organic Matter
Stem
Landscape
Butterfly Garden
Pollinator Garden
Native Garden
Butterflies
Pollinators
Songbirds
Bees
Moths
Tiarella cordifolia Image Gallery
Tiarella cordifolia Attributes
Tiarella cordifolia: Wildlife Value
Flowers are attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Tiarella cordifolia: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)
Moderately deer resistant.
Tiarella cordifolia: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Tiarella cordifolia: Recommended Propagation Strategy
Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting
Tiarella cordifolia: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Tiarella cordifolia Fruit
Tiarella cordifolia: Fruit Description
Fruits are available May-June
Tiarella cordifolia: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Tiarella cordifolia Flowers
Tiarella cordifolia: Flower Description
Narrow cluster of dainty small white-to-pink flowers on the upper portion of a leafless stalk floating above the leaves; five small petals that taper into stalked bases. Blooms in early spring (April-June)
Tiarella cordifolia: Flower Color
Pink
White
Tiarella cordifolia: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Tiarella cordifolia: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Tiarella cordifolia: 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
Tiarella cordifolia Leaves
Tiarella cordifolia: Leaf Description
2" to 4" broad, long-stalked leaves; roundish to egg-shaped with heart-shaped base; three to seven shallow, sharply toothed lobes. Leaves are basal and resemble maple leaves.
Tiarella cordifolia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Tiarella cordifolia: Leaf Color
Green
Tiarella cordifolia: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Tiarella cordifolia: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Tiarella cordifolia: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Tiarella cordifolia: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Tiarella cordifolia Whole Plant Traits
Tiarella cordifolia: 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
Tiarella cordifolia: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Tiarella cordifolia: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Tiarella cordifolia: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Tiarella cordifolia: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Tiarella cordifolia Cultural Conditions
Tiarella cordifolia: 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)
Tiarella cordifolia: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Tiarella cordifolia: 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
Tiarella cordifolia: NC Region
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
Tiarella cordifolia: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
3a
3b
4a
4b
5a
5b
6a
6b
7a
7b
8a
8b
Tiarella cordifolia: Soil Texture
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky
Tiarella cordifolia Stem
Tiarella cordifolia: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Tiarella cordifolia Landscape
Tiarella cordifolia: 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
Tiarella cordifolia: 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
Tiarella cordifolia: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
