#darmera

Plant of the Day

Friday 15 May 2026

The rhizomes of Darmera peltata (umbrella plant, giant cup, Indian rhubarb) create a curious texture on the soil surface. This perennial produces tall stems with cluster of pale pink flowers and later glossy, rounded leaves which turn red in autumn.

Adrienne - Vancouver, July 2020

Adrienne is the designer of HEX Metals & Minerals handcrafted jewellery line. She's wearing here her Protector Necklace.

Plant of the Day

Thursday 12 October 2017

On the moist, boggy soil at the edge of the pond at the Beth Chatto Garden, Essex, UK, the Darmera peltata ‘Nana’ (dwarf umbrella plant, dwarf Indian rhubarb) was putting on a fine display of autumn colour. This rhizomatous herbaceous perennial grows up to 30-45cm in height, with glossy, rounded leaves. The clusters of pale pink flowers appear on bare stems before the leaves in the early spring.

Inspiration for a huge farmhouse landscaping.

Plant of the Day Friday 2 October 2015

The circular leaves of Darmera peltata ‘Nana’ (umbrella plant, Indian rhubarb) start their autumnal display as they begin to turn red. The students and I had a sunny late afternoon visit to Beth Chatto’s Garden, Essex, U.K., we found this plant by the ponds and stream. It needs a constantly moist soil and so is ideal for bog and water gardens. Being a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial it will spread in ideal conditions but this form is smaller than the species.

Spring; and the ground flora greens up. Growth during the month of May is impressive; leaves seem to double in size during the hours of daylight. The prolonged cool start to spring this year has delayed the mad rush to set out bedding and early veg plants in the hope of early establishment and a longer season of flowers. Those that have been rash enough to do so have seen disappointing results.

Gunnera manicata from the swamplands of South America forms massive herbaceous clumps. The above ground mass develops from the basking seal shaped brown stem to rapidly expanding leaf growth. During May the leaf stem becomes covered in spines. By mid summer the leaf diameter can be in excess of two meters.

Look at the flower spike, the top is awash with long white anthers protruding as bean sprouts. The female flowers are at the bottom half of the conical spike receptive to pollen as it falls.

At the other end of the scale Darmera peltata, also herbaceous, is shooting from the rootstock. The fresh growth resembles a mass of shrimps on the surface of the soil.

At the same time a flower spike rises to one meter. Having a well proportioned rounded inflorescence, best in bud, when the pink colour is most attractive. The flowers, once open, soon loose their, by then, white petals. As these fade watch the phenomenal rate at which the leaves expand. As with the Gunnera, also preferring a moist root run.

Gunnera manicata

Gunnera manicata

      Darmera peltata

Darmera peltata