Scoliopus bigelovii – Scoliopus bigelowii – Footed Adder’s Tongue – Stink Pod –

Description

Scoliopus – This genus of 2 herbaceous perennials, allied to Trillium, is found naturally occurring in woodlands in Western USA. They have short, underground stems and usually paired, ovate or oblong to elliptic, with paralleled veined, basal leaves, sometimes with brown-purple markings. In spring, stalkless umbels of flowers, each with 3 narrow, upright inner tepals and 3 spreading outer tepals, arise directly from buds on the rootstock. Grow for their unusual but malodorous flowers and attractive foliage in a woodland garden or rock garden. Poisonous if eaten. Grow in humus rich, leafy, moist but well drained, acidic to neutral soil in deep to partial shade. Provide a dry winter mulch. Prone to slugs and snails. S. bigelovii – S. bigelowii – Footed Adder’s Tongue – Stink Pod – This compact, herbaceous perennial from California, USA grows 4″ tall and 6″ wide. It produces pairs of broadly oblong to elliptic,, boldly veined, purple mottled, dull, dark green leaves, 4-8″ long. In early spring , bears umbels of 3-112 trillium like flowers, to 2″ across, with narrow, erect, deep purple inner tepals, and greenish white outer tepals, striped brown-purple. Zones 6-8