Chameleon Plant, Houttuynia

Houttuynia cordata

Saururaceae - Lizard-tail Family

▲▼ plants in a groundcover bed

▲▼ leaf and flower details

Houttuynia cordata:  Chameleon Plant, Houttuynia

Location on campus:  in the planting area on the east side of Karls Hall, in front of the tall windows to the south of the main (northeast) entrance.

·         Dark green or green and white or pink variegated, alternate, heart-shaped leaves 2-3 inches long and 2/3 to equally wide with pointed leaf tips and long petioles

·         Leaves have strong odor—sort of musky, some say diesel-fuel-like

·         Produces creeping rhizomes to form a dense groundcover 6-12 inches tall

·         Prefers full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained, fertile soil

·         Produces upright spike-like flowers with white petals around the base in early summer

·         May invade lawns or take over smaller plants in planting beds in good growing sites, if not pulled back