About
Stems at flowering to 30cm in height. Has deeply 3-5 lobed leaves, green variably mottled with purple, which expand fully, up to 25cm across, after flowering in late spring and summer. Flowers pinkish or white, with yellow stamens. Berries scarlet, egg-shaped, borne on short, drooping peduncles in late summer.
About the genus
Sinopodophyllum are rhizomatous perennials with creeping rootstocks producing 2-branched petioles, each branch bearing a large, usually peltately divided, umbrella-like leaf blade. 9-petalled, cup-shaped flowers are borne on short stems from the junction of the leaf branches, followed by red or yellow fruit
Growing conditions
SunlightFull shade, Partial shade
Soil typeLoam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH7
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitTrailing
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
Native toHimalaya, W China
ToxicityAll parts of the plant are highly toxic if ingested. Wear gloves and wash hands after handling
Care notes
CultivationGrow in a humus-rich, moist, fertile soil in full or partial shade
PruningCut back the old stems in autumn
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in containers in an open frame or by division in spring or late summer
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to slug damage on young leaves in spring
Disease resistanceGenerally disease-free