Beesia calthifolia

Beesia calthifolia is a ravishing small perennial plant of rare Chinese origin in cultivation that will charm with its very beautiful glossy foliage, decorative all year round. In spring, delicate white star-shaped flower spikes rise above the carpet of leaves, adding to its charm. This distant relative of lesser celandines and buttercups gradually spreads, eventually forming a delightful ground cover in humus-rich soils that remain consistently moist, in partial shade or shade, for example under the canopy of deciduous trees. Despite its delicate appearance, this plant is extremely hardy.

Beesia calthifolia belongs to the Ranunculaceae family, just like our famous buttercup. Discovered, lost and then rediscovered by modern plant hunters, this species is native to meadows and high-altitude woods in western China. It is a perennial herbaceous plant with a basal rosette of dense leaves, and does not exceed 20cm (8in) in height. It spreads laterally without becoming invasive but self-seeds spontaneously if the growing conditions are suitable. The foliage, extremely ornamental, persists in winter. The small leaves are soft and waxy in texture, shiny, heart-shaped, toothed at the edges, pleated, veined with reddish-purple on a marbled background of various shades of green. They take on reddish tones in winter and spring. Flowering begins in May and can continue until the end of August if the soil remains consistently moist. The plant produces short spikes of white flowers with 5 petals and numerous protruding stamens.

A discreet but unusual plant of fresh understorey, Beesia calthifolia thrives in moist, even damp, soils, but also adapts easily to any good soil in the understorey that is not too dry. It naturally settles under trees or along a north or east-facing pathway. Plant it alongside other shade-loving perennials such as hostas, lungworts, wild gingers, Brunneras, or blue forget-me-nots, for example.