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Twinleaf

Jeffersonia diphylla (jef-er-SON-ee-ah dy-FIL-uh)

Family: Berberidaceae Native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Jeffersonia diphylla , commonly known as twinleaf, is a flowering plant in the Berberidaceae family. Twinleaf is a perennial herb that produces white blooms during the months of March through May. The star-like flowers of 8 petals bloom on leafless stalks above immature leaves of only 8 to 12 inches tall; mature plants are up to 3 feet tall. Native to North America, it can be found growing under the canopy of trees in the eastern portion of Canada and in the United States, Wisconsin to New York, to North Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. . It can be found in moist and extremely nutrient-rich forests, generally over rocks such as limestone. Twinleaf is a threatened species in North Carolina.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 39 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Native Plant; Wildflower
Life cycle
Perennial
Light
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
NC region
Mountains
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 5 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 4 in.
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Obovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf size
3-6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
3-6" basal long-stemmed leaves parted lengthwise into two wings.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Solitary
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
1" single white flower atop a leafless stalk, 4 early falling sepals, and 8 petals. Flowers are short-lived.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Gold/Yellow
Fruit detail
Produces a yellow pod with brown seeds in the month of May.
Stem detail
Stalkless.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Native
Origin
South East Canada to North Central & Eastern U.S.A
Attracts
Bees; Specialized Bees
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Spring
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Woodland
Landscape theme
Native Garden; Shade Garden
Garden tags
#NC native #white flowers #food source pollen #spring flowers #acidic soils tolerant #Audubon #food source hard mast fruit #partial shade tolerant #heavy shade tolerant #bee friendly #perennial #woodland #wildflower

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.