Uvularia grandiflora
This lovely little woodland plant lifts the heart with bright yellow pendants of bell-shaped flowers lighting up borders. Each petal is slightly twisted adding to their elegance and fresh green leaves act as a perfect foil. We grow it mixed with other woodland plants in the Cherry Garden, Rosemoor House beds, the Rock Gully and in the Plantsman’s Garden to form a tapestry of colour beneath deciduous trees before they are in full leaf. Because they are summer dormant it is easy to forget that they are there beneath the ground and at Rosemoor we have found that they flourish in areas where they are sure not to be disturbed during the summer.
Vital statistics
- Common name
- Bellwort, large merrybells
- Family
- Colchicaceae
- Height & spread
- 75cm (30in) x 30cm (12in)
- Form
- Herbaceous, clump-forming perennial
- Soil
- Fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- Partial to full shade
- Hardiness
- Fully hardy
Uvularia
Uvularia is a genus of five rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with arching stems bearing ovate leaves and nodding, narrowly bell-shaped yellow flowers of six tepals. They originate from woodland areas of eastern North America.
Uvularia grandiflora
U. grandiflora is a perennial upto 75cm (21/2ft) tall, with arching stems bearing bright green leaves and clusters of nodding, bell-shaped, yellow flowers with narrow, twisted tepals. It spreads slowly by rhizomes and is excellent as a plant for a shady bed or woodland garden.
Cultivation
- Grow in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in deep or partial shade
- Slugs and snails may be a problem, especially in early spring.
Propagation
- Sow seed in containers in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe.
- Divide clumps in early spring.
AGM
The RHS Rock Garden Plant Trials Panel awarded Uvularia grandiflora an Award of Garden Merit and described it as:
'Rhizomatous herbaceous perennial to 75cm, with arching stems bearing bright green, lanceolate leaves and terminal clusters of nodding, narrowly bell-shaped yellow flowers with narrow, twisted petals.'