Uvularia grandiflora var. pallida

Uvularia grandiflora var. pallida is a delightful cream-yellow flowered form of the large-flowered uvularia. It is even rarer than the species, both in nature and in commerce. It is a graceful perennial that thrives in cool shade. It somewhat resembles a Solomon's seal but surpasses it in the beauty of its flowering. This perennial blooms in spring with charming pendulous bell-shaped flowers. Its foliage remains decorative throughout summer. It is very cold-hardy. It prefers humus-rich, non-calcareous soils that remain moist even in summer. It will look lovely paired with the lemon-yellow type form, Himalayan blue poppies, and trillium. It will also look wonderful alongside ferns that appreciate similar conditions.

Uvularia grandiflora is an herbaceous perennial plant in the Colchicaceae family. It is native to North America, from Canada to the southeastern United States, where it is found in moist woodlands. Its deciduous growth emerges from the ground in spring and disappears in September. The plant grows rather slowly. It rarely exceeds 50cm (20in) in heigh. Its stump can reach 30cm (12in) in width over time, but it does not spread or become invasive. It has short rhizomes from which numerous thick, vertical roots emerge and penetrate deeply into the soil. Flowering occurs before the foliage fully appears, from March to May, depending on the climate and the year. Several slender cane-like stems emerge from the stump and slightly arch under the weight of the flowers. Solitary or grouped flowers of 2 or 3 appear at the axils of the first leaves. They are pendulous, tubular at the base, and formed by 6 long spiralled tepals, measuring 5 to 6cm (2in) in length. They are pale-yellow. After pollination by bumblebees and bees, curious bishop's-cap-shaped fruits form. The seeds are dispersed by ants. The foliage is reminiscent of Solomon's seal, and fully develops after flowering. It consists of elliptical leaves measuring 6 to 13cm (2 to 5in) in length. They are a vibrant spring green on the upper side, and velvety on the underside.

Uvularia grandiflora var. pallida is perfect under deciduous trees and shrubs, paired with spring-flowering plants whose foliage disappears earlier. Its most beautiful companions, in the fresh humus of an understory or in a shaded bed, will be trillium, wood anemones, relatively low ferns (Blechum spicant, Asplenium scolopendrium), meconopsis, and hostas. Remember to mark its location to avoid trampling the stump when the foliage disappears. Also, be sure to protect this plant, as slugs are fond of it.