Tiarella wherryi

Tiarella wherryi is a beautiful shade-loving perennial. It forms a clump of about 20 cm (8in) tall and a little wider. Its lovely flowering, in pink feathery spikes that turn white, is remarkably long-lasting as it extends from mid-spring to the middle of summer. Its soft green leaves are very decorative and resemble those of the maple tree.

Tiarella wherryi, also known as Wherry's foam flower, belongs to the saxifrage family. It is named after Edgar Theodore Wherry, an American mineralogist, geologist, and botanist. Tiarelles, native to North American woodlands, are cousins of heucheras with which they readily hybridise.

This Tiarella forms an erect clump, not exceeding 30 cm (12in) in height and 40 cm (16in) in width at maturity. In May, individual flowers appear, lightly scented, star-shaped. They are densely arranged in delicate spikes on stems about 30 cm (12in) tall, and offer a beautiful range of very pale raspberry pink to white, depending on their fading over time. Its semi-evergreen foliage is tender green veined with purple-brown at the base. Its feathery, palmate, and lobed leaves measure about 10 cm (4in) in length. In autumn and winter, they take on sublime purple-bronze hues. These hues become even more pronounced when temperatures drop during winter.

In the wild, Tiarella are typically found in wooded or alpine environments, in damp and humus-rich soil, under cool climates. Therefore, they are well-suited for planting in damp understorey planting or cool rockeries. They thrive in the company of ferns, Hostas, Solomon's seals, astilbes. They can also be used as waterside plants, to accompany Rodgersia or orange Carex testacea in winter. They will also thrive in shady containers or planters. In this case, they should be planted in a well-drained potting mix without excessive fertiliser, with summer watering being monitored and reduced in winter. Potted plants will need protection against cold winter winds.

Flower buds are formed during summer, but they will only develop and bloom after being exposed to at least 10 weeks of cold temperatures the following year. Cold is therefore necessary for the ripening of this perennial.