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James H. Schutte
Saururaceae
Houttuynia cordata
Chameleon Plant, Rainbow Plant
Chameleon plant is a rapidly growing perennial native to marshy, woodland scrub of eastern Asia. It is a semi-deciduous groundcover or aquatic plant found in very shallow shoreline water. The leaves are oval to heart-shaped and emerge from spreading underground stems or rhizomes. The leaf color is blue-green, sometimes with a red margin and they have an unusual peppery-orange scent when crushed. The small, green flowers appear in summer on short, heavy spikes. Each flower spike has several larger, visually apparent white bracts (petal-like modified leaves) at the base which are oval in shape.
Excelling in shaded, moist conditions, chameleon plant will tolerate sunnier, drier spots. It is frost sensitive and even in the mildest climate tends to go dormant in the winter. Use this perennial as an ornamental groundcover; however it has a long history of medicinal and culinary uses. Be aware than in moist soils and shady environments it is likely invasive; however, the spread of the plant is diminished in drier, sunnier conditions. For more information on the invasiveness of Houttuynia cordata, visit the Global Invasive Species Database here: http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=854 .
12 - 1
5 - 11
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Perennial
Partial Sun, Partial Shade, Full Shade
6"-12" / 15.2cm - 30.5cm (9)
15'-20' / 4.6m - 6.1m
Late Spring, Early Summer
Eastern Asia, China, Japan
Acidic, Neutral
Poorly Drained
Clay, Loam
Wet Site
Very Fast
Average Water, Ample Water
Mat-forming
Summer
Insignificant
White, Yellow Green, Light Green
Bicolor
Green
Blue Green, Gray Green
No
Yes
Single
Medium
Matte
Bog Garden, Container, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Water Gardens
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