Diphylleia grayi Malaysia via a US National Arboretum

via a US National Arboretum expedition (USNA 45507-D)

The tubular flowers are nectared by hummingbirds

even in the North

selected by the late NC Botanical Garden curator Rob Gardner from seedlings at the garden

Diphylleia grayi Malaysia via a US National ArboretumDiphylleia grayi is a little known mayapple and fairy wing relative, native to moist wooded mountainsides in colder regions of China and Japan. Diphylleia grayi forms clumps of large, fuzzy, green, umbrella like, bold foliage topped by small clusters of white, mayapple like flowers in late spring. When it rains on the flowers they magically turn translucent then return to white as they dry. In late summer, the stalks of eye catching cobalt blue fruit