Oregon Native: Dutchman’s Breeches

Plant Name:  Dicentra cucullaria
Common name:  Dutchman’s Breeches
Plant Type:  Herbaceous Perennial
Plant Height:  .5’ – 1’
Plant Width:  .5’ – 1’
Bloom Time:  March – May
Flower Color:  2 Outer Petals are White; 2 Inner Petals are Yellow
Exposure:  Part Shade to Full Shade
Soil Requirements: Rich, Moist, Humusy, Well-Draining Soil; Tolerates Clay Soil.
Water Need:  Medium
Firewise: YES
Attributes: Showy Flowers; Nectar Attracts Bees.
Uses:  Native & Wildflower Gardens; Shade Garden.
Note:  Some Susceptibility to Aphid Infestation; Plant Goes Dormant in Early Summer; All Parts Poisonous.
Native to:  Central & Eastern North America, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
Oregon Native:   YES
USDA Hardiness Zone:  3 – 7

Report by: Viki Ashford

Photo Credit: Biosthmors, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Posted by: Carlotta Lucas, AGC Board Member