Heloniopsis orientalis v. breviscapa

Tukushi Shōjō-bakama Melanthiaceae

A diminutive Japanese woodland perennial with flowers that appear to have been painted with a very fine brush. Heloniopsis orientalis var. breviscapa—now treated by Kew as Tukushi Shōjō-bakama Helonias breviscapa—is native to southern and central Japan, particularly Kyushu, where it grows on cool, damp mountain slopes and woodland floors. 

Its evergreen rosette of glossy, strap-shaped leaves produces short flower stems in early spring, bearing several pure white to very pale pink flowers, their prominent purple nectaries adding an unexpected splash of colour. The flowers are followed by the elongating seed stems, giving the plant considerably more presence than its initial modest stature suggests. 

A choice plant for moist woodland, peat gardens and the shaded edge of a bog, where it appreciates humus-rich, consistently moist but well-drained soil. It is particularly charming planted where its early flowers can be appreciated at close quarters.

Height: 10–20cm | Spread: 20–30cm
Flowering: March–May | Foliage: Evergreen
Hardiness: H6 (-20 to -15°C)