Paris quadrifolia
(Herb Paris)

Family - Melanthiaceae
Category - Perennial
Origin - Europe, Eastern Asia
Season of Interest - Spring, Summer
Hardiness - H5
Height - up to 40cm
Width - 30cm or more
Location - The Woodland Walk

Description: A spreading, rhizomatous Perennial with an upright habit. Mid-green leaves are ovate to nearly rounded in shape and are held in whorls up the stems. Unusual, star-shaped flowers have an outer ring of pale green tepals, surrounding an inner ring of thin, whitish-green tepals and a black centre. Flowers are produced from late spring into early summer and are followed by deep blue-black berries.

Additional common name - Four-leaved Grass

Flower:

Star-shaped flowers are composed of an outer ring of pale green tepals, an inner ring of whitish-green tepals, yellow stamens and a black centre. Flowers are produced in May and June and are followed by round, blue-black berries.

Flower colour: Green

Flower shape: Star-shaped flowers

Flowering time: May, June

Foliage:

Mid-green leaves are ovate to rounded in shape and are held in whorls of four (occasionally more) up the stems.

Foliage Senescence: Deciduous

Foliage Shape: Ovate to rounded

Poison Information:

Berries may cause discomfort if ingested.

Propagation:

Seed, division. (Difficult to propagate.)

Cultivation:

Best in partial shade to shade in fertile, humus-rich soil that is moisture retentive, but well drained.