HOW TO GROW & CARE FOR FOAMFLOWER IN YOUR GARDEN
Use this tough low-maintenance perennial for difficult shady areas
'Cutting Edge' foamflower (Tiarella hybrid). Photo: Proven Winners
Foamflower is a hardy herbaceous perennial with dainty flower spikes and attractive foliage. Named for the foamy white or pink flowers that appear in spring, this North American native can be found growing in shady woodlands and along moist stream banks.
Also known as tiarella, false miterwort, heartleaf foamflower, or Allegheny foamflower, this diminutive carefree plant makes a good ground cover for difficult sites such as deep shade where little else will grow. Related to coral bells (Heuchera), foamflower is useful in small spaces, containers, mass plantings, or naturalized in a woodland setting. Here’s how to grow and use foamflower in your landscape.
On this page: Basics | Planting | Care | Pictures | Frequently Asked Questions | Landscaping Ideas
On this page:
- BASICS
- HOW TO PLANT FOAMFLOWER
- FOAMFLOWER CARE
- FOAMFLOWER VARIETIES
- FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- DESIGN IDEAS
FOAMFLOWER BASICS
Botanical name:
Tiarella spp.
Plant type:
Herbaceous perennial
Zones:
3-9
Exposure:
Partial to full shade
Habit:
Compact spreading or clumping habit
Height/Spread:
6 to 12 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches wide, with flower spikes reaching up to 18 inches tall
Bloom time:
Most varieties bloom from mid to late spring, though some can bloom in early spring or into summer
Flowers:
White or pink flower buds open to dense clusters of tiny star-shaped white or pale pink flowers. Blooms are produced along upright spiky stems, creating a frothy appearance. The light fragrance of the flowers is attractive to insect pollinators.
Foliage:
The attractive foliage is heart-shaped or deeply lobed, with some varieties producing leaves that resemble oak, maple, or fig leaves. Coloring is green, with leaf patterns in shades of dark red, burgundy, or black. In milder climates, plants may be evergreen or semi-evergreen, acquiring variable coloring in fall and winter.
Toxicity:
Foamflower is not considered toxic to humans or pets, though the ingestion of any part of a non-edible plant may cause mild digestive upset.
HOW TO PLANT FOAMFLOWER
When to plant:
Plant foamflower during milder weather in spring or fall to avoid transplant shock from extreme cold or heat.
Where to plant:
Choose a site with partial, full, or dappled shade and moisture retentive soil. Plants can tolerate some direct morning sun. Foliage color may fade in full shade.
How to plant:
Loosen soil in the planting area and amend with compost or other humus rich organic matter. Dig a hole slightly wider and as deep as the root ball. Remove plant from the nursery container and loosen roots if potbound. Place in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil to allow for mulch. Fill in the hole with soil, tamp down gently to remove air pockets, and water thoroughly. Water regularly until plants are established. Space plants 12 to 18 inches apart.
FOAMFLOWER CARE
'Cutting Edge' foamflower (Tiarella hybrid). Photo: Proven Winners
Temperature:
Foamflower is cold hardy in most zones and performs best in regions with mild to moderate summer temperatures.
Soil:
Provide rich, well-drained soil with a slightly acidic pH of 5.5-6.5. Amend soil with compost or other rich organic matter before planting. For containers, use a high quality all-purpose potting mix.
Amendments & fertilizer:
Plants need little or no supplemental fertilizer. In early spring before plants show new growth, apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer according to instructions. Plants can also be mulched around the base with compost.
Watering:
Foamflower prefers moderate water. Keep soil evenly moist but not soggy. Avoid overwatering to prevent root rot. Water more frequently during heat and dry spells. Foamflower is somewhat drought tolerant once established.
Pruning:
Cut back dead foliage in spring before new growth appears. Deadhead flower stalks when they are finished blooming to improve overall appearance.
Dividing:
Clumps can be divided every few years to improve air circulation and water flow to the roots. Runners can be removed and transplanted to new areas.
Pests and diseases:
When grown in the right conditions, foamflower is free of most pests and diseases. Pests can include black vine weevils, mealybugs, root weevils, slugs or snails. Diseases include root rot, rust, and powdery mildew.
FOAMFLOWER VARIETIES
Photo by: Proven Winners.
‘Cutting Edge’ — Buy now from Proven Winners
Tiarella hybrid
Zones: 4-9
Habit: Rounded clumping habit
Height/Spread: 8 to 10 inches tall, 16 to 18 inches wide
Bloom Time: Spring to summer
Large bright green leaves are deeply dissected with wide burgundy patterns along the leaf veins. Creamy white bottlebrush flowers bloom in profusion from early spring to early summer. Plants have a neat clumping habit and don’t form runners like many other varieties. The well-behaved habit is suitable for containers and small spaces.
Photo: Paul Atkinson / Shutterstock
‘Sugar and Spice’
Tiarella hybrid
Zones: 4-9
Habit: Compact spreading habit
Height/Spread: 8 to 12 inches tall and wide
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
Maple-like bright green foliage has a striking crimson pattern along the center of the leaf. Pyramidal flower spikes produce soft pink buds that open to starry white flowers. Plants spread through strawberry-like runners. Use this semi-evergreen variety as a shady ground cover or massed in the landscape.
Photo: Peter Turner Photography / Shutterstock
‘Spring Symphony'
Tiarella hybrid
Zones: 4-9
Habit: Compact habit
Height/Spread: 6 top 12 inches tall and wide
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
Deeply dissected olive green leaves develop a dark purple pattern along the midrib and central leaf veins. Cone-shaped flower spikes have starry pale pink florets. Plant this diminutive variety in containers, as edging or in mass plantings. Evergreen in milder climates, with bronzy purple winter color.
Photo: LianeM / Shutterstock
‘Pink Skyrocket’
Tiarella hybrid
Zones: 4-9
Habit: Compact clumping habit
Height/Spread: 6 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 12 inches wide
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
‘Pink Skyrocket’ produces deeply lobed leaves with bright green coloring and thin dark purple markings along the midrib and central veins. Conical shrimp pink flowers appear from mid to late spring. In fall, the foliage turns shades of burnished bronze in sunnier spots or shiny black in shady areas. Plant as a ground cover in a woodland garden or underneath trees and shrubs.
Photo: Alex Manders / Shutterstock
Heartleaf Foamflower
Tiarella cordifolia
Zones: 3-8
Habit: Compact spreading habit
Height/Spread: 9 to 12 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches wide
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
This common species, native to woodlands of Eastern North America, is characterized by heart-shaped leaves and white or pink flower spires that appear in spring. Some varieties may have burgundy or red patterning along the central leaf veins. Plants are evergreen in milder climates, with reddish-bronze coloring in winter. Naturalize in a native garden with other plants indigenous to your area.
Photo: Richard Payne / Millette Photomedia
'Running Tapestry'
Tiarella cordifolia
Zones: 4-8
Habit: Compact spreading habit
Height/Spread: 10 to 12 inches tall, 12 to 24 inches wide
Bloom Time: Spring
This variety is named for the vigorous strawberry-like runners. Plants have heart-shaped leaves with burgundy-red speckled patterns along the leaf veins. Clean white flowers appear for several weeks in spring. Foliage turns bronzy red in fall. Evergreen in milder climates. Use as a quick-growing ground cover or mass along a slope for erosion control.
Photo: AngieC333 / Shutterstock
‘Brandywine’
Tiarella cordifolia
Zones: 4-8
Habit: Compact spreading habit
Height/Spread: 8 to 12 inches tall, 12 to 18 inches wide, flower spikes 12 to 18 inches tall
Bloom Time: Spring
One of the most vigorous foamflower varieties, ‘Brandywine’ produces heart-shaped green leaves with dark red veining. Tall flower spikes have pink buds that open to ivory white flowers, persisting for 6 to 8 weeks in spring. Foliage turns bronze in fall, holding its color through winter. Evergreen in milder climates. Use in mass plantings or naturalize in a woodland setting.
Photo: Mona Larochelle / Millette Photomedia
Wherry's Foamflower
Tiarella wherryi
Zones: 3-8
Habit: Compact clumping habit
Height/Spread: 8 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 12 inches wide
Bloom Time: Mid-spring to mid-summer
Heart-shaped foliage develops red or purple patterns along the leaf veins. Short wands of starry pinkish-white flowers appear beginning in mid-spring. Foliage turns bronze in fall, holding its color through winter. Wherry’s foamflower is most notable for its clump-forming habit, and does not spread through rhizomes like many other varieties. Evergreen in milder climates.
Photo: Albert Mondor / Millette Photomedia
'Crow Feather'
Tiarella hybrid
Zones: 4-9
Habit: Compact habit
Height/Spread: 8 to 12 inches tall, 10 to 12 inches wide
Bloom Time: Mid to late spring
‘Crow Feather’ is named for the lobed green foliage with feathery black markings along the midrib and central leaf veins. Pale pink buds open to white flowers, blooming for weeks in spring. This variety has the best winter coloring of any foamflower, with foliage that develops stunning shades of pink, red, purple and black during colder months. Evergreen in milder climates. Use as edging, in woodland borders or for winter interest in milder climates.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is tiarella invasive?
Plants spread through rhizomatous runners, but are not considered invasive. If clumps become overgrown, they can be divided and moved in spring.
How long does tiarella bloom?
Tiarella generally blooms from 4 to 8 weeks, though bloom time can vary according to variety, climate and weather conditions.
Is Tiarella cordifolia edible?
Tiarella has no known edible uses, and is not considered toxic, though mild stomach upset may occur if leaves are ingested.
Do deer eat tiarella?
Foamflower is considered deer resistant, though any plant may be susceptible to deer browse if other food sources are scarce.
Does foamflower spread?
Many varieties spread quickly through rhizomatous runners, forming a mat-like ground cover. Others such as Wherry’s foamflower form clumps and don’t spread through rhizomes.
FOAMFLOWER LANDSCAPING TIPS
There are many ways to use foamflower in your landscape. Here’s how:
For borders and landscapes:
Grow foamflower in a mixed border, shaded rockery, native or woodland gardens, as edging or a ground cover.
For slopes and hillsides:
Mass along a slope to help stem erosion.
For containers:
Feature foamflower in a container by itself or alongside other plants with similar growing needs.
- Mass by a shady pond or stream alongside other moisture loving plants.
- Include in a native garden with other plants native to your region.
- Plant in a rain garden with other moisture-loving plants that thrive in shade such as hostas, ferns, sedges, and leopard plant (Ligularia).
- Mass a spreading variety along a shady slope or hillside to help stem erosion.
- Naturalize as a ground cover in a woodland shade garden in combination with trees, shrubs, and perennials for a layered tapestry effect.
- Use as edging along a pathway or at the front of a mixed border.
- Plant underneath trees or shrubs to help suppress weeds.
Companion plants: Tiarella pairs well with many other woodland favorites. Plant alongside ferns, coral bells (Heuchera), hostas, astilbe, columbine, Siberian bugloss (Brunnera), lungwort (Pulmonaria), sedges, and spring-blooming bulbs.
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