Tellima grandiflora Rubra

Tellima grandiflora 'Rubra' is a evergreen groundcover perennial that deserves a prominent place for its elegant green and purple foliage, with heart-shaped, rounded and generous leaves that take on sumptuous autumnal hues and turn dark red in winter. From May to July, it produces spikes of small cream bells tinged with green, similar to those of heucheras. This perennial is a plant for damp to dry shade, which will thrive in the understory or under shrubs. It tolerates root competition and suppresses weeds.

Tellima grandiflora 'Rubra' belongs to the Saxifragaceae family and is native to North America, ranging from the moist forests of northern California, through British Columbia, to Alaska. This perennial forms a rosette clump that reaches a height of 50 cm (20in) and a width of 30 cm (12in). It spreads rapidly through self-seeding and makes good groundcover. The leaves, evergreen to semi-evergreen, have the same elegance as Heuchera leaves, being rounded, toothed, and heart-shaped. They are pubescent but shiny green, with dark red blotches. They turn bright bronze to purple in autumn before taking on a dark red hue in winter. From May to July, clusters of small cream-greenish bells 60 cm tall emerge from the foliage. The nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies.

Plant Tellima grandiflora 'Rubra' in moist to dry soil in summer, humus-rich, slightly chalky, neutral to acidic. Plant in shade or partial shade, or, at most, in a sunny but not scorching location. It tolerates dry shade and competition from the roots of shrubs and trees and requires little maintenance, limited to pruning faded inflorescences and tidying up the clump, if necessary, in late winter. The young leaves may be attacked by slugs.

Tellima grandiflora 'Rubra' is unique and accommodating. It can be used en masse, in groups, borders, rockeries, and as understory planting, and it excels as a colourful groundcover for shady, even dry, and challenging areas of the garden. Often found in the wild alongside other plants such as Tiarella, carex, and ferns, this association can be replicated in damp understory areas. It also pairs well with periwinkles, dead nettles, bear's breeches, Geranium phaeum or nodosum, and vigorous comfreys in dry shade.