foamflower
Tiarella L.
A genus overview; characteristics vary between its species.
Foamflowers produce a low layer of leaves beneath upright flowering stems. Their creeping rhizomes persist from year to year, and some species also spread by above-ground runners. The foliage may remain evergreen, giving these small perennials a presence even after the delicate flowering display has ended. Flora of North America: Tiarella
Botanical name
Kew accepts Tiarella as a genus in Saxifragaceae. Species limits vary among floras; this profile describes the genus without assigning the record to one species. Kew Plants of the World Online: TiarellaFlora of North America: Tiarella
Recognizing the plant
Leaves gather mainly in a basal rosette, although some species also carry leaves on the flowering stem. Blades can be simple and lobed or divided into three leaflets, with toothed margins and radiating veins. The flower clusters may be slender racemes or branching panicles. Small white to pinkish flowers usually have five sepals, five petals, ten stamens and two styles. The resulting papery capsules open unequally, with one side appreciably longer than the other. Shiny dark seeds develop inside. The genus name refers to the distinctive little crownlike fruit. Flora of North America: Tiarella
Native range
Tiarella has native representatives in North America and Asia: from Alaska into the United States, and from the Himalayas through temperate East Asia and northern Myanmar. Kew Plants of the World Online: Tiarella
Botanical sources
Reviewed 2026-10-11. Seasonal development varies with location and growing conditions.