Description of Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon'

Houttuynia cordata 'Chameleon' is a low, spreading marginal that brings colour even when nothing else is flowering. You might hear it called chameleon plant or harlequin plant. If you brush the leaves, you will notice a citrusy scent. It grows fast, so give it a spot where you can keep it in check.

Appearance

It makes a carpet of heart-shaped leaves with mixes of green, cream and red. The colour is strongest in good light. In summer it can also pop up small white flowers that sit above the foliage. Expect around 30cm tall, but it can spread well beyond that if you let it.

Care Guide

Keep it wet. It is happiest with constantly moist compost, or with the pot sitting in very shallow water at the pond edge.

• Sun: Sun to part shade. More sun usually means more colour.
• Soil: Heavy, moisture-holding compost works well in a planting basket.
• Water level: Boggy ground to a few centimetres of water over the soil line.
• Feeding: A slow-release feed in late spring helps in baskets.
• Control: Keep it in a pot or basket. Trim runners during summer and lift to divide in spring.

If winter knocks it back, leave it. New shoots usually push through once the weather warms.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This one suits a bog garden when you want ground cover between taller plants like irises and rushes. It also works on the drier top edge of a bog where the soil stays damp, not flooded.

It is best in a contained area. A simple method is to plant it in a solid pot, then sink that pot into the bog so roots cannot run. In a small bog, it can fill gaps quickly. In a larger bog, it makes a good colour patch near paths where you will brush past and notice the scent.

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