Foamflower sends up frothy spikes of tiny white, faintly pink-tinged flowers above a clump of lobed, heart-shaped leaves in mid-spring. The foliage often holds dark veining and good color into winter, so it earns its place long after the spring show has faded.
Where it grows in North Carolina
Native to cool, rich woods of the mountains and upper Piedmont — moist coves, shaded slopes, and stream banks with deep leaf litter. It spreads slowly into broad colonies where the ground stays humusy and damp.
Wildlife value
The spring flowers provide nectar and pollen to early-emerging native bees, small flies, and other pollinators active in the woodland understory.
In the garden
A first-rate groundcover for shade gardens with rich, consistently moist soil. Pair it with ferns, woodland phlox, and green-and-gold, and divide clumps every few years to spread it through the bed.