Tellima grandiflora

Identification

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Description

Tellima grandiflora, Fringe cup, is a groundcover or perennial for shady moist spots. It has thrived in the green house with twice per day water where other plants have rotted right off. But it has also done great with once a week water and part shade. Fringe cup has a 2 feet tall flower stalk with fifty 1/2inch pink folded stars. The leaves look like a bouquet of grape leaves. Use in a north slope, north side of house, redwood belt, or a forest garden. It would also be useful as the front border of a small perennial garden. It will not take full sun and it will not take drought well. I've seen it once in the wild in the middle Sierras under Bay trees and Dutchmans Pipe. There was a spring nearby and the site itself was a seep. It was very cool, humid and dim. This should be an excellent plant along the Eastern Seaboard or planted along the coast under those concrete overhangs of new buildings. Hummingbirds like the high flower spikes.