Tropaeolum polyphyllum
yellow lark's heels
A herbaceous scrambling plant growing from long tubers to a spread of 1m or more. Rich yellow flowers with long spurs appear throughout summer over a mass of blue-green lobed leaves
Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cmTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drainedpH
Acid, Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Grey Silver Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Yellow Orange | Grey Silver Green | ||
| Autumn | Grey Silver Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H3Botanical details
- Family
- Tropaeolaceae
- Native to the UK
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Trailing
- Potentially harmful
- Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
- Genus
Tropaeolum can be annuals or perennials, bushy, trailing or climbing by twining stems, with simple or palmately lobed leaves and showy funnel-shaped flowers with five long-clawed petals and often a spur
- Name status
Correct
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in a sheltered scree, gravel garden, raised bed or large rock garden. Useful ground cover. Plant into well-drained, but moist soil in full sun
Propagation
Propagate by division of tubers in spring or by seeds as soon as ripe, or by basal softwood cuttings in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Rock garden
- Gravel garden
- Coastal
- Low Maintenance
- Banks and slopes
- Flower borders and beds
- Ground cover
Pruning
No pruning required. Cut back at the end of the season
Pests
May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite and whitefly
Diseases
Generally disease-free
Get involved
The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.