Fringe cups

Fringe cups: how do you recognise it?

Habit

Low leaf rosette about 20–30 cm tall and 40 cm wide; the flower stems reach 40–60 cm.

Foliage

Heart-shaped, lobed and softly hairy, 5–10 cm across; nearly evergreen and sometimes bronze in winter.

Flower

Slender spikes of small greenish-white bells with fringed petals, from April to June.

Colour

Greenish white, turning pink to red with age; ‘Rubra’ has purple-bronze foliage.

Roots

Short rootstock that slowly forms a carpet; seedlings appear by themselves.

Flowering: April–June · Plants: March–April and September–October · Pruning: March and June

Why grow it?

• A nearly evergreen ground cover for dry shade, a spot where little else wants to grow.
• Flowers from April to June with graceful greenish-white bells that turn pink later.
• Bees visit the flowers in spring.
• The soft, lobed leaves smother weeds and often turn bronze in winter.
• Low maintenance: one tidy-up a year is enough.

Fringe cups: where does it grow best?

• Partial shade or shade; in full sun the leaves scorch.
• Humus-rich soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to chalky.
• Dry to reasonably moist; once established it tolerates dry shade.
• Allow 30–40 cm between plants.

Light

Partial shade and shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Not fussy

Moisture

Dry or normal

Size

0.6 m tall, 0.4 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -30 °C)

Goes well with

• Barrenwort: Another ground cover for the same dry shade.
• Coral bells: Coloured foliage next to the green leaves of fringe cups.
• Cranesbill: Ground-covering kinds fill the space under shrubs.
• Ferns: Fine, divided fronds in the same shade.

Fringe cups: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and September–October.

1. Plant in March–April or in September–October, when the soil is not frozen.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in leaf mould or compost.
3. Set the plant at the same depth as in its pot, with the top of the root ball level with the soil.
4. Leave 30–40 cm between plants.
5. Water thoroughly straight away and keep the soil lightly moist in the first season.
6. Spread a thin layer of leaf mould around the plant.

Care

Water

In the first year water weekly in dry weather. After that it manages alone, even in dry shade.

Feeding

Usually not needed. A thin layer of compost or leaf mould in spring.

Mulching

A thin layer of leaf mould in autumn or spring keeps the soil cool and moist.

Spent flowers

Cut the flower stems off after flowering if you do not want seedlings; leave a few if you like to see it spread.

Dividing

Dividing the clump every 3–4 years, in spring or autumn, keeps it vigorous.

Tip: Use it as a ground cover under shrubs in dry shade and cut off damaged leaves in spring. Remove unwanted seedlings early.

Fringe cups: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March and June.

When: In March, to remove old or damaged leaves; in June, after flowering, the flower stems.

How:

• In March, cut off the leaves damaged over winter so the new foliage shows.
• After flowering, cut the flower stems back to the leaf rosette.
• Now and then, remove dead or yellowing leaves at the base.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Division

In March–April or September–October: cut the clump with a spade into pieces with roots and leaves and replant at once.

Seed

In spring on a windowsill or in a seed tray, without covering the seed (it germinates in light). Self-sown seedlings can also simply be moved around the garden.

Fringe cups: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −30 °C.

• Fully hardy, down to about −30 °C: no protection is needed in Belgium.
• The foliage stays largely green and may turn bronze; in severe frost it can be damaged, which you cut off in spring.
• In a pot: put it in a sheltered spot and wrap the pot in hessian in severe frost.

Diseases and pests

• Vine weevil: The grubs eat the roots: the plant wilts and lifts out easily. Control them in August–September with nematodes in moist soil.
• Slugs: They eat the soft foliage. Collect them in the evening and protect young plants.
• Scorched leaves: Brown edges in a spot that is too sunny or too dry. Move it into shade and water.
• Many seedlings: The plant self-seeds. Pull unwanted seedlings or cut off the flower stems before the seed ripens.

Through the year

• March: Cut off damaged leaves. Plant or divide. Add compost.
• April: Flowering begins. Plant or divide.
• May: Flowering. Watch for slugs.
• June: Cut off spent stems or leave them.
• July: In the first year, water in dry weather.
• August: Watch for vine weevil; use nematodes if needed.
• September: Plant or divide.
• October: Plant or divide. Spread a layer of leaf mould.
• November: Dormant. Foliage stays green or turns bronze.
• December: Dormant.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Did you know?

• The name Tellima is an anagram of Mitella, a related genus from woodlands of North America.
• Fringe cups belongs to the same family as coral bells (Heuchera) and foamflower (Tiarella).
• The flowers of fringe cups change from greenish white to pink as they age.