As the flowers dry up, they turn a faded white.
In early autumn, the reddish seed stalks develop clusters of eye-catching bright blue berries.
Skeleton flower is a slow-growing species that is normally planted in early spring or early fall.
ashitaka-f/ Flickr / Courtesy of photographer
Skeleton flower is a woodland native to the colder mountainous regions of China and Japan.
If you do manage to provide the right location, skeleton flower is quite easy to maintain.
Throughout the growing season, just remove the dead foliage so that the new leaves can unfold without hindrance.
Diphylleia grayi flowersAlpsdake/ Wikimedia Commons /Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
Skeleton flower is not commonly affected by any serious pests or diseases.
Light
Skeleton flower is very sensitive to harsh sunlight.
Any direct sunlight it receives should be the morning sun.
Diphylleia grayi fruits in early fallAlpsdake/ Wikimedia Commons /Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license
Soil
The soil should be deep, rich in humus, and consistently moist yet very well-drained.
Sandy soil with large amounts of organic material is ideal.
Water
Skeleton flower requires consistent moisture with naturally moist soil.
During a dry spell, water it slowly and deeply, preferably by drip irrigation or soaker hoses.
It wont do well in regions with hot, dry summer weather.
The plant dies back in winter and requires a winter chill period to reset itself.
Propagating Skeleton Flower
Diphylleiagrows stems from its thick undergroundrhizomes.
The best way to propagate them is by dividing these rhizomes.
Division every few years will also help rejuvenate overgrown root clumps.
Keep the trays moist, in a bright location but out of direct sunlight.
Be prepared for some disappointment, as only a fraction of the planted seeds will germinate and sprout.
The seedlings can be transplanted into the garden after all danger of frost has passed.
The pot can be of any material, provided it has good drainage.
These are slow-growing plants that will require repotting only rarely.
Poor flowering on well-established plants is usually traced to inconsistent moisture.
Skeleton flowers like to be damp, so see to it the soil does not dry out.
Less frequently, a lack of nutrients can cause poor flowering.
Skeleton flower finds its best (perhaps only) use in shady woodland gardens with humusy, sandy soil.
Because it is so slow-growing, skeleton flower should be planted in groupings and not as an individual specimen.
There are two other similar species but onlyDiphylleia grayihas the stunning skeleton effect.
But other species do make attractive groundcovers in shady woodland locations.
Phodophyllum cymosum.North Carolina State Extension Plant Finder
