Dentaria diphylla 'Supermax'

(aka: Cardamine diphylla) This giant selection of the Eastern US (Maine to Mississippi) native toothwort has the largest foliage we've seen in the species. Each three-parted leaf measures 7" long/wide, compared to a typical 3.5" long x 4.5" wide leaf. We originally acquired our plant from garden writer Pam Harper as Dentaria maxima, which it obviously isn't. We've grown this amazing selection since 1996, in which time, it's made a thick 5' wide, weed-supressing woodland groundcover. Dentaria 'Supermax' goes summer dormant, re-emergeing in early winter. The patch of tripartite dark green leaves, adorned with muted silver veining is topped with clusters of white bells in early-mid April (NC). Light shade and average to moist soils are preferred.

, found in moist rich (often alkaline) woods from ME south to KY, is thought to be a sterile hybrid between D. diphylla and D. laciniata. The rich olive-green tripartite (three-lobed) leaves emerge in mid-October (NC) and make a slowly spreading clump to 3' in 7 years. In April in NC, the clumps are topped with 10" stalks of 1/2" white flowers. After flowering, the clumps remain attractive until late summer when they go dormant. D. maxima is a very easy-to-grow plant for the winter/spring woodland garden.