Large leaved Pachyphragma
These are native plants to the woodlands of northern Turkey and the Caucasus. They are perfect as a non-intrusive weed free groundcover plant and prefer to be grown in shade. Unusually, for a shade loving plant, they will tolerate very dry ground conditions with no ill effect.
P. macrophyllum is a spreading evergreen or semi evergreen perennial with scalloped, glossy, dark green leaves in rosettes and four petalled white flowers appear in corymbs in March or April. In autumn and in winter the leaves can be tinged with red.
This is a plant which grows well alongside spring bulbs and other early flowering spring herbaceous plants such as Pulmonaria. Its height is around 10-15in when properly established as a clump and is completely hardy in UK conditions. The scent of its flowers is not particularly pleasant.
It is most easily propagated by lifting and dividing individual clumps in spring. The old flower stems should be cut back once they have finished flowering unless you want the plant to self-seed itself around and about.
