Deinanthe bifida ("Ginbaiso")

Japanese name: ギンバイソウ
Scientific name: Deinanthe bifida

[Overview]
A perennial 40–70 cm tall, found on slopes along streams in woodland.
It has underground stems.
The stem is unbranched, upright, and covered with coarse hairs.
2–4 pairs of leaves grow opposite on the upper part of the stem; they are obovate to oblanceolate, 10–20 cm long and 6–12 cm wide, with the tip shallowly divided into 2 lobes.
Both surfaces of the leaves have coarse hairs, and the margin has teeth that end in awn-like tips.
The petiole is 1–10 cm long.
The lower part of the stem has several pairs of leaves reduced to scales.
Cymes at the stem tips bear 10–20 flowers.
While in bud, the inflorescence is spherical and enclosed by several bracts.
The inflorescence has 3-petaled ornamental flowers, white to pale pink, around the edge, and bisexual flowers about 2 cm across in the center.
The bisexual flowers are white, 5-petaled, and shaped like plum blossoms.
The fruit is a hemispherical capsule that faces downward when ripe.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
It prefers partial shade and well-drained, fertile soil with moderate moisture.
It is best placed under deciduous trees, where it receives sun from winter to spring but is shielded from direct sunlight in midsummer.
Take care not to let it dry out; water thoroughly when the soil surface dries.
In spring, place slow-release fertilizer on the soil.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

View this page in Japanese (日本語)