Jeffersonia dubia

Jeffersonia dubia is a small perennial Asian bush that works wonders in cool undergrowth. In early spring, it forms a ball covered in small bright purple star-shaped flowers, before the appearance of its lovely compound foliage made up of rounded leaves. This hardy plant slowly spreads to form a low and wide cushion on the ground. A gem to adorn the base of deciduous trees and bushes, as well as shaded rockeries, in moist and humus-rich soil.

It belongs to the Berberidaceae family, like epimedium or fairy flowers. It is a deciduous perennial plant found from Korea to China, as well as the east of Russia (along the Amur River), but absent from Japan. It can be found in evergreen forests, mixed forests, thickets, and on shaded and moist banks, up to 1100m (43609ft) in altitude. It is a non-invasive short rhizome perennial plant, which eventually forms cushions measuring at least 12 to 15cm (5 to 6in) in height and 25cm (10in) in width. The flowering takes place in April. From the ground emerge small flowers shaped like cups, 2cm (1in) in diameter, composed of 6 wide mauve petals, surrounding a yellow-green centre. The foliage emerges directly from the rhizome and the ground, usually just after flowering. The young shoots are tinged with bronze and brown. They unfold into greyish-green rounded leaves, deeply notched at the base, and dentate along the edges, measuring 6 to 8cm (2 to 3in) in diameter. The curious fruit is a green pear-shaped capsule with an articulated top. The seeds are dispersed by ants through a process known as myrmecochory.

Jeffersonia dubia thrives in partially shaded conditions, under deciduous trees, in humus-rich soils that remain moist. It can be planted to adorn the base of deciduous trees and bushes. It can also be grown in a moist rockery, in partial shade. This lovely perennial pairs well with fairy flowers, hepaticas, hellebores, ferns, cyclamen, trilliums, and Japanese anemones.