Common Name: peltoboykinia
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Saxifragaceae
Native Range: Japan
Zone: 5 to 7
Height: 1.00 to 2.50 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.50 feet
Bloom Time: June to July
Bloom Description: Pale creamy yellow to yellow-green
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Flower: Showy
Tolerate: Drought, Heavy Shade
Culture
Best grown in organically rich, evenly moist, well-drained soils in part shade. Tolerates close to full shade. Also tolerates some drought once established. Clumps slowly spread by creeping rhizomes. Propagate by division or seed. May self-seed in the garden.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Peltoboykinia watanabei, commonly called peltoboykinia, is a rhizomatous, clump-forming herbaceous perennial of the saxifrage family. It is native to alpine woodlands in Japan. It is noted for producing a showy basal clump of large, rounded, saucer-like, palmately lobed and deeply-cut, peltate leaves (each to 12" across) which rise on strong petioles to 12-18" tall. Leaves emerge in spring with attractive pinkish-red tones but mature to a rich green. Leaf clumps are topped in summer (June-July) by upright flower spikes (to 30" tall) bearing tiny, drooping to outward-facing, shuttlecock-like, pale creamy yellow to yellowish green flowers.
Peltoboykinia watanabei, synonymous with and was formerly listed as Boykinia watanabei, was separated at one point from Boykinia into its own genus in large part because it differs from Boykinia by having peltate leaves and flowers with 10 instead of 5 stamens.
Genus name comes from the Greek word pelte meaning shield in reference to the shield-shaped leaves of this plant and from Boykinia the genus from which it was separated. Boykinia honors Dr. Samuel Boykin (1786-1848), physician, botanist and naturalist from Georgia (USA).
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Group or mass in sun-dappled areas to form a tall ground cover of large showy leaves. Shady bed and border areas. Woodlands. Cottage gardens.