Sessile-leaf Bellwort (Uvularia sessilifolia)

Sessile-leaved bellwort, also known as “wild oats,” can be found in deciduous and mixed evergreen-deciduous forests, woodlands and edges throughout New England.

It can be used as a ground cover in shade or part shade, as the roots spread by stolons.  It prefers moist, rich, acidic soils with high humus content and good drainage but can adapt to other soil types. The flowers are yellow or cream and hang in an elongated bell shape.

Cover with a layer of leaves in winter and do not remove them in the spring to increase humus to the soil.  If the goal is to create a ground cover, allow the existing plants to seed out each year, seeding itself.  Over time, the area will fill in.

3 dormant, bare root plants for $15

_{Image credit: Don Cameron and Arthur Haines, via GoBotany/Native Plant Trust}