Virginia ecotype
- Duration: Perennial
- Habit: Upright, clumping, branching
- Size: 3 - 8 ft. tall, half as wide
- Flowering time: July - September
- Bloom color: Yellow
- Habitat: Ditches, streambanks, woodland edges, meadows
- Light: Full sun to shade; best flowering in full sun but needs more moisture
- Moisture: Medium to moist, well draining
- Soils: Clay, sand, loam; adaptable
- Uses: shade gardens, woodland gardens, cottage gardens, rain gardens, pollinator gardens, back of garden bed
Smallanthus uvedalia (Bear's Foot)
What do you get when you cross a sunflower with an oak leaf hydrangea? Nothing—since they're not genetically compatable. But if they were, the resulting hybrid would look something like Bear’s Foot. A tall and dramatic native perennial named for the large (up to a foot long), rough-textured, lobed leaves that resemble the footprint of a bear. The plant is also known as hairy leafcup (as the leaves cup around the stems).
Typically found in rich, moist soils along woodland edges, riverbanks, and disturbed areas, though is adaptable to a range of light and soil comditions. The plant can grow to impressive heights of 6-8 feet even in shade, though it tends to stay smaller in average gardens.
During the summer months, Smallanthus uvedalia produces clusters of bright yellow, sunflower-like blooms. Each flower is an attractive nectar source for bees, moths, butterflies, and wasps, among other pollinators. The hollow stems provide winter habitat for stem-dwelling insects. The species is host for a couple of moths. The plant's seeds are large, like sunflower seeds, which are eaten by some birds.
Prefers some average moisture, with more water in higher sun. An especially harsh, dry summer may cause the plant to go into early dormancy. It does quite well in shadier conditions and can still attain height, making it great for the back of a border, as a single specimen, or in a woodland garden where height and unique filoage is appreciated.