Virginia Waterleaf
| Also known as: | Eastern Waterleaf |
|---|---|
| Scientific name: | Hydrophyllum virginianum |
| Family: | Waterleaf (Hydrophyllaceae) |
| Life cycle: | perennial |
| Origin: | native |
| Habitat: | shade to part sun; moist woods, floodplains |
| Bloom season: | spring, early summer |
| Plant height: | 12 to 30 inches |
| USDA PLANTS database: | Minnesota county distribution map |
| Spotted in Ramsey County at: |
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Detailed Information
- Flower:
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/virginia-waterleaf-100_6414-t.jpg)
Flowers are in loose rounded clusters about 2 inches across at the end of a long naked stem. Individual flowers are tubular, about ½ inch long, with 5 lobes and long protruding hairy stamen with pale yellow tips that turn brown with age. Flower color ranges from pale violet to pink to white. There are 5 long narrow sepals with feathery edges under the flower head. One plant has 1 or 2 clusters on a stem, and may have multiple stems.
- Leaves and stem:
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/virginia-waterleaf-100_6125-t.jpg)
Leaves are up to 6 inches long and 4 inches wide and deeply divided into 3, 5 or 7 lobes with coarsely toothed edges and sharply pointed tips. Leaves may have scattered white spots on them and sometimes slightly hairy. The main stem is also occasionally hairy, with the hairs flattened against the stem. The stem is purplish at the leaf nodes.
![[photo of flowers]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/virginia-waterleaf-100_6414.jpg)
![[photo of leaves]](/udata/r9ndp23q/purple/virginia-waterleaf-100_6125.jpg)
More photos
Virginia Waterleaf plantPhotos taken at Wild River State Park, Center City, MN May 2007
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Ramsey County, or have any other comments about it?
Posted by: randy b.
on: 2008-06-18 22:38:47
on: 2008-06-18 22:38:47
This grows in the woods by my home in St. Paul. Your pictures are great but we need one with the "water" marks on the leaf which must have given this plant its name.
on: 2008-06-09 23:36:21
I saw this plant today (and took a picture of it) in Stearns County by the Mississippi River on a walk there with my grandchildren. Once again you have helped me to identify a wild flower.