Twinleaf

Jeffersonia diphylla

Twinleaf is named for Thomas Jefferson, which tells you something about the esteem in which early American botanists held it. The plant's common name describes its most distinctive feature: each leaf is perfectly divided into two equal lobes that make it look like two separate leaves growing from a single stem. The effect is striking and geometrically precise. visually unlike any other shade garden plant. In early spring, pristine white flowers appear before the foliage fully emerges. It's a slow-growing, long-lived woodland perennial that takes a few seasons to establish but then persists for decades, eventually forming a substantial clump. The bold, distinctive foliage is attractive from emergence through fall. A plant for gardeners who appreciate unusual natives and are willing to be patient. the reward is a genuinely distinctive presence in the woodland garden.