Hydrophyllum virginianum (Virginia Waterleaf)
Also known as: | Eastern Waterleaf |
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Genus: | Hydrophyllum |
Family: | Boraginaceae (Borage) |
Life cycle: | perennial |
Origin: | native |
Habitat: | part shade, shade; moist woods, floodplains |
Bloom season: | May - June |
Plant height: | 12 to 30 inches |
Wetland Indicator Status: | GP: FAC MW: FAC NCNE: FAC |
MN county distribution (click map to enlarge): | |
National distribution (click map to enlarge): |
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Detailed Information
Flower:
Flowers are in loose rounded clusters about 2 inches across at the end of a long naked stem. Individual flowers are tubular to bell-shaped, about ½ inch long, with 5 lobes and long protruding hairy stamens with pale yellow tips that turn brown with age. Flower color ranges from pale violet to pinkish 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:
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, and are sometimes slightly hairy. Leaves often have scattered whitish spots on them but they fade with age. The main stem is also occasionally hairy, with the hairs flattened against the stem. The stem is purplish at the leaf nodes.
Notes:
The common name “waterleaf” presumably comes from the whitish spots on the leaves, that resemble water stains. We came upon a wooded area on private property in Pope County that was completely carpeted with Virginia Waterleaf. The light was low but it was still quite a sight to behold. Hydrophyllum was in the Hydrophyllaceae (Waterleaf) family but this has been merged into Boraginaceae (Borage).
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More photos
- Virginia Waterleaf plant
- more plants
- more flowers
- a colony of Virginia Waterleaf
- unusual white flowers
Photos by K. Chayka taken in Ramsey and Chisago counties. Photos courtesy Peter M. Dziuk taken in Pope, Hennepin and Anoka counties.
Comments
Have you seen this plant in Minnesota, or have any other comments about it?
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.
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: 2009-02-15 16:57:26
I found a picture of those spotted leaves. The spots apparently fade over time so you may only see them early in the season.
on: 2009-05-26 18:49:50
many of these are growing in my mother's yard in stillwater on churchill st. they are all lavender and seem to be mixed in with lily of the valley plants. they are growing on the east side of the home.
on: 2009-06-01 18:40:08
I finally realized this is what I have growing in my moderately wooded back yard. I live in Shakopee. It is a lovely ground cover in late Spring/early Summer. Mine are a violet color.
on: 2009-06-28 19:42:03
It's also a good plant for bees--I see them in the flowers constantly. And these days, bees need all the help they can get!
on: 2010-06-04 17:45:25
I see this growing everywhere in Pope, Stearns, Kandiyohi and lot's of other counties in MN. Always wondered what it was. Now I know! Thank you! Yes, the bee's love this plant and it is rather beautiful in it's own way as are all plants in my opinion. I'm a plant lover! What can I say?
on: 2011-06-04 13:53:08
A single plant growing just into the dirt path heading south from the southwest corner of the park. Spotted leaves and all!
on: 2011-06-06 14:23:55
I see this ringing my large yard where the heavy woods are. They are lavender and lots of them.
on: 2012-05-06 13:53:47
We just bought an old house on a creek and are exploring our new flora. These are growing in a carpet along the east side of our garage and along the creek bank.
on: 2012-05-12 12:29:21
I think these are growing like mad in my backyard. They are not blooming yet but the leaves look very similar. I asked a master gardener from the U of M and he thought it was Virginia waterleaf. It is certainly prolific.
on: 2012-05-13 18:19:10
Kathleen, we've seen rather large colonies of Virginia waterleaf in some woods. The difference between it and an invasive species, though, is that this native does not crowd out other plants, but gets along with its neighbors. A carpet of it in a woodland is quite an awesome sight.
on: 2013-05-19 16:14:11
Just found this yesterday in a bed of "wild" daylilys. It is spreading extensively, but I've not noticed it before. A friend says get rid of it, but the area is contained, so I'll see what it does.
on: 2013-06-04 19:22:37
Found this plant along the edge of the ravine in my back yard and in one of my flower gardens. I didn't recognize the plant and just left if so I could see if it produced a flower. I don't know that I'll let it grow in the garden, but, if it wants to it can roam freely in the ravine.
on: 2013-06-09 11:44:52
These beautiful hardy and prolific purple flowering plants with delicate stamens protruding out the top came to live one year in our yard with no help or input from me. They have spread naturally in our heavily shaded garden next to our homemade pond and waterfall. Each year our founder patch which started on its own as a small 1 ft. cluster gets bigger and bigger and now takes up several square feet. I also have a nice mixture of wild white and purple violets living harmoniously with the Waterleaf giving us color nearly all summer. The fragrant flowers with long stamens are a good attractant for bumble bees as I often see one or two buzzing around on sunny days.
on: 2013-06-12 12:20:36
I noticed a clump of this mixed in with my hostas last year, I have no idea how it got there ut along with it I have some beautiful plum colored columbine. Does the waterleaf spread by seed?
on: 2013-06-12 13:15:28
Growing prolifically just East of the Ceniako Trout Pond at the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. I've also found some "volunteers" in my garden beds - but have decided not to allow them there. I'd say they're "assertive" if not invasive.
on: 2013-06-19 16:31:23
Spotted a few plants in the understory of a brushy part of a neighbors yard, across from lower penn lake.
on: 2014-05-03 09:28:45
I saw several small plants close to the west bridge over nine mile creek in Bredesen Park
on: 2014-05-19 17:02:09
I have them all over my yard. A neighbor gave me a plant a few years back because it just showed up in her yard and she's very "structured". I live in town but I have a certified wildlife habitat. I've allowed it to spread since it's edible.
on: 2014-05-20 08:55:23
Along the Grindstone near Hinckley, MN and in my backyard in Moose Lake, MN
on: 2014-05-30 12:00:14
I live in a residential area in St. Paul, and think both the leaves and flowers are beautiful. And bees definitely are attracted to it, which is great! I also have Wild Geraniums and Anemone, but due to its watermarks, I can distinguish Virginia Waterleaf, since all three have similar leaves but no white patches. But I periodically have to cull out all three so they don't choke out any of my other native wildflowers.
on: 2014-06-06 14:02:52
I've got Virginia Waterleaf growing all over the west side of my house this spring. It is beautiful in bloom and the bees love it.
on: 2014-07-12 19:30:31
Has become very invasive in flower beds and difficult to eliminate, don't be fooled!
on: 2015-04-19 11:36:03
I adore the spotted leaves of this plant. It spreads freely without crowding out its neighbors. Personally, I've had no problems with invasions or removal I move them when they pop up in the wrong flowerbed. They make a great mass planting on the side of the house where nothing else will grow due to gravel in the soil. They have roots that can survive is shallow soil.
on: 2015-05-14 20:28:29
I've always known this plant as a weed and was surprised to find that it is a native Minnesota wildflower. It pops up in every crack, crevice, and corner of my urban garden, crowding out the other flowers. It, along with red columbine and dandelions, was flower that my grandmother had no objection to children picking by the armload. I suppose I'll have to leave some (along with the dandelions and the wild columbine) for the pollinators, now that I've come across its proper identification.
on: 2015-05-15 05:37:32
Mary, many native plants can become a bit aggressive when taken out of their natural habitat. Virginia waterleaf can, too. We have some in our own garden but it is manageable.
on: 2015-05-16 08:01:00
Lots of this plant growing in our woods.
on: 2015-05-24 17:22:28
these plants are spreading voraciously on the ravine next to our property. Do I need to control them?
on: 2015-05-29 15:08:49
I never noticed these in my yard before. They come up on the north side of my house, along with some Wild Columbine and Lilies of the Valley. I was pretty surprised to find out they weren't weeds!
on: 2015-06-05 21:04:36
i think this is the plant I found in my fathers back yard. Is there a different address I could send a picture to?
on: 2015-06-06 05:43:42
Kristi, you can post a picture on our Facebook page
on: 2015-07-06 09:00:45
This plant is growing in abundance in the wooded area on my property. It makes a beautiful site when the small purple flowers bloom. The color in the understory is awesome!
on: 2016-05-26 20:26:17
Ours are pink and the ends of the stamens (whatever those pollen things are called) appear darker than in photos on this site. Thanks for the nice site!
on: 2017-04-17 15:30:38
We have these growing in the front yard of the house we recently moved into. I would put the plant in the "invasive" category as they are spreading like crazy and are difficult to completely remove due to their extensive root system. Any suggestions on how to successfully remove them? Correct me if I have the wrong plant and the water leaf does not spread via roots underground.
on: 2017-04-17 16:09:01
Carrie, yes it spreads as you discovered. Some people find that desirable, others not so much.
on: 2017-04-20 00:15:54
At Spring Lake Park, just north of the Schaar's Bluff visitor center: Virginia waterleaf carpets the open woods on the bluff trail along the Mississippi River, then it switches to masses of Dutchman's breeches with patches of bloodroot. Go now to see Dutchman's breeches in bloom and later for V. waterleaf.
on: 2017-04-23 12:45:08
Nice patch in wooded area on the edge of our property.
on: 2017-05-07 12:53:29
I have these growing in large patches in my woods. Thanks for the help in identification.
on: 2017-05-12 18:46:54
These have appeared along the spillway between Lake Herriot and Minnehaha Creek. Glad to know they are a native.
on: 2017-05-22 13:13:21
They are growing in the south side of my property and spreading quickly, including my neighbor's yard. I'm planning to keep a few there and transplant some to my wooded front yard. Hope it takes there. I've seen the watermarks other years but not today.
on: 2017-05-24 15:11:51
Have these growing in our back yard next to the deck. Didn't know what they were when we moved in. Glad to see that they are native and good for the bees. Everything else in the yard is not very bee friendly so hoping to help it to spread this year.
on: 2017-05-26 18:52:06
We have several of these growing in our backyard. It appears they were once strategically placed within borders in addition to some hostas and ferns. They've since spread. I like the cute little flowers :-)
on: 2017-05-27 20:09:20
We live in a wooded area next to a lake. We have hundreds of these plants. Pretty. We don't mind them spreading, as we are trying to keep this area natural. These are much preferred over other invasives.
on: 2017-05-29 07:53:45
Growing in a mass along our driveway together with Lillies of the Valley on the North side of neighbor's house in a former dog run. Our honey bees definitely are attracted to them.
on: 2017-05-31 10:50:26
Grows abundantly underneath Oak and Ironwood trees nearest the lake shore. Currently flowering - making a beautiful thick carpet of foliage and flowers.
on: 2017-06-01 17:23:01
These popped up this spring along the deep ravine and my 20-foot natural waterfall behind my home in rural Northfield. Lovely! So beautiful in my woods!
on: 2017-08-30 15:08:35
It is beautiful as long as it stays in a woodland area. I found it growing in my small rock gardens and perrenial flower gardens on the West and South Sides of our yard choking out other perrenial flowers. It is very difficult to pull out as it grows from rhizome root system. Any ideas on how to control it?
on: 2018-05-06 12:39:59
They showed up in our garden a couple years ago Antares spreading like crazy. We dig them out to manage them but too prolific to eliminate.
on: 2018-05-27 12:14:04
These have just started blooming here along the Root River Bike Trail.
on: 2018-05-29 13:50:19
They in the Pioneer Village area.
on: 2018-06-01 17:58:10
These have found there way into my yard and I loved the leaves with the dappled white and then the lilac colored flowers appeared--the honeybees and bumblebees adore them and so do I. I'm glad they're a native flower. I'll let them spread in my yard.
on: 2018-06-04 10:02:05
We just had our bloom the 3th. of June. One month late Last year it bloomed May 3th. Our whole grove is loaded. Beaiuful! We also have creeping Charlie. Lots of it.
on: 2019-01-28 10:21:20
Found growing wild under my lilac bush in my Mpls yard two summers ago. Pulled back the violets growing next to it. The waterleaf is spreading and flowered for the first time last summer. Looking forward to more flowers this summer!
on: 2019-05-07 21:51:00
It is taking over my city yard! I keep digging it up, but it is everywhere! How do you control it?
on: 2019-06-04 06:18:07
Virginia Waterleaf in abundance along the Root River Bike Trail near Isinours and The Old Barn.
on: 2019-06-09 16:49:23
I've lived here for 30 years and this just showed up in my shady backyard that contains mostly perennials I've planted. I didn't know what it was at first, but posted photos on NextDoor and one neighbor knew it. I like it and it's in a terraced area where I'm happy to have it - at least so far. I've also noticed there's a lot of it in the woods of Wirth Park (which is just 1.5 blocks from my house). I like it better than the creeping bellflower that I've been struggling with for years!
on: 2019-07-18 16:57:46
HV was a too-strong competitor in my spring ephemeral garden, 25 years ago. Now I sort of live with it, not being a very interventionist person. This year (July) however it has suffered a heavy dieback (viral?) of all parts of the plant, and has not succeeded in flowering.
on: 2020-02-13 02:27:59
Grows abundantly in our woods.
on: 2020-05-10 12:19:38
Appeared in my back yard.
on: 2020-05-15 01:07:48
I noticed purple blossoms on my Virgina waterleaf plants today. They are prolific in wooded areas on my farm.
on: 2020-05-22 18:42:43
Pulled a ton of garlic mustard in my wooded back yard and this popped up in its place.
on: 2020-05-26 01:42:42
I found some blue waterleaf growing in the ravine behind our house. They're very pretty.
on: 2020-05-28 21:38:59
All over my son's yard (huge double lot). It doesn't care if it's in the sun or shade!! Taking over all the other plants. The blooms are very pretty lavender, but they don't want it taking over the other plants. We've been pulling it but it seems to come right back. How do we stop it??
on: 2020-05-30 15:35:46
Many blooming now with the jack-in-pulpits
on: 2020-06-02 17:33:49
We have this plant in our small woods. we have more of it this year probably because of enough rain. We have other natives that we grow in our garden. We have another plant this year I think is sweet cicely. The bees like both plants and they can grow where they are now. We also have bellflower which isn't native.
on: 2021-04-30 09:50:00
In a strip of wooded area near railroad tracks
on: 2021-05-23 14:34:55
We found clumps of these growing along the sidewalks near the Lake Harriet Rose Garden.
on: 2021-05-23 16:54:42
This little plant can be found throughout the woods along the river as well as shady parts of lawns in this area. There is a lot of natural moisture in this area.
on: 2021-05-24 19:31:48
It's growing in very deep shade.
on: 2021-05-27 13:34:56
We found the flower beside the paved hiking trail next to the wood area. May 26th 2021 We did know the flower but posted on Facebook North shore vibe one of the people recognized it.
on: 2021-05-29 21:35:21
Blooming right now in Wolsfeld Woods - Orono (part of the original "Big Woods") I took pictures of it May 28, 2021
on: 2021-05-31 11:17:11
Found along fence line in deep shade. Bumble bees seem to love this plant.
on: 2021-06-04 13:08:10
Growing in my backyard, in deep shade. Just a couple of plants that have been there for a number of years. Thanks to this website, I finally know what they are called. I have seen bees on mine too.
on: 2022-05-12 16:33:08
We are planting a small wet prairie. I was planning to transplant some water leaf from the woods to that area. Will it actually compete with the tall plants like Joe pye or Qoeen of the prairie or just grow under them?
on: 2022-05-12 17:10:16
Ann Marie, Virginia waterleaf isn't likely to crowd out the taller plants, but plants can do strange things in cultivation.
on: 2022-06-07 08:34:28
We have a beautiful blanket of these in our woods next to our home. We set our squirrel and bird feeders amongst the flowers and it is such a delicate, tranquil scene out of our livingroom window. I have also seen them down the road close to the Rum River.
on: 2022-06-07 09:56:17
We have a beautiful blanket of these in our woods next to our home. We set our squirrel and bird feeders amongst the flowers and it is such a delicate, tranquil scene out of our livingroom window. I have also seen them down the road close to the Rum River.
on: 2022-06-17 22:26:13
Succeeded a large blanket of trout lilies
on: 2023-05-18 17:04:05
I found this plant blooming in my front border, no idea how it got there. I thought maybe it was a weed so I searched a pic of it and found Virginia waterless. I've also found some in my border back near my pond, not sure how I got them?? A seed or root in some other perennial I bought?
on: 2024-03-20 21:18:32
When I moved to Saint Paul my backyard was absolutely carpeted with these. Sadly, I thought they were non-native and took insufficient care to protect them from invading buckthorn and burdock. I have spent years fighting the invasive species in my backyard and I hope that the remaining areas of virginia waterleaf become re-established. But first I will have to go to war with the creeping bellflower that has replaced all of the burdock
on: 2024-05-17 08:12:44
I'm in St. Cloud city limits and there are LOADS of waterleaf in a couple of my gardens. They spread quite readily which makes me think they're weeds, but nope, they just are happy native carpet making flowers. If they crowd certain plants too much I pull them, otherwise they're free to fill in the space. They grow in sun, part sun and shade.
on: 2024-05-22 21:15:47
Have had this growing around a stump of a boxelder tree that fell a couple years back. It's come back every year and bumble bees and other insects love it, if you have it keep it in your yard. It's super beneficial for pollinators!
on: 2024-05-26 10:53:16
Have noticed some of these the last few years in our windbreak. Thia spring the colony has become much larger. Enjoy seeing this in bloom.