Description of Houttuynia cordata 'Boo-Boo'

Houttuynia cordata 'Boo-Boo' is a compact, variegated houttuynia grown for colourful heart-shaped leaves. It’s often sold as a chameleon plant type, but this cultivar is usually smaller and neater than older, more rampant forms.

Appearance

It forms a low patch of heart-shaped leaves with variegation. In summer it may produce small white flowers. Height is often 20 to 40cm, with most of the plant staying as a spreading carpet.

Care Guide

It loves wet soil and it can still spread, so containment is smart in mixed bog planting.

• Sun: Sun to part shade. Light shade often keeps leaves cleaner in summer.
• Soil: Moist to wet soil with organic matter.
• Water: Keep consistently damp. It thrives in boggy conditions.
• Control: Plant in a solid pot sunk into the bog if you want strict control.
• Trim: Cut back hard if it looks tired. It usually regrows well.

Remove any fast plain-green shoots if they appear, so the patch keeps its intended look.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This suits bog gardens as a colourful ground cover and front-edge filler. It works well around stepping stones and near the rim of raised bog planters.

In small bog beds, grow it in a container to stop it running through everything else.

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