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Tolmiea menziesii

piggy-back plant

Saxifragaceae

Alaska south through BC, Washington, and Oregon

Deer Resistant Container Friendly

Native to North America

SunPart Shade – Full Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 5–9

Overview

Tolmiea menziesii is the piggy-back plant (youth-on-age), a native perennial growing 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) tall and wide. Hairy palmately lobed (5–7 shallow lobes) maple-like leaves 2–4 inches (5–10 cm) — plantlets develop at the junction of the leaf blade and petiole (the 'piggy-back' habit). The plantlet grows on the mother leaf, weighing it down until it contacts soil and roots — a vegetative reproduction method. Brownish-purple to chocolate inconspicuous tubular flowers 0.3 inch (8 mm) on slender stems 12–24 inches (30–60 cm) above the foliage in late spring to early summer. In the saxifrage family (Saxifragaceae spp.). Near-monotypic: Tolmiea spp. was recently split into two species — T. menziesii (diploid) and T. diplomenziesii (tetraploid) — but both share the piggy-back habit. Named after William Fraser Tolmie (1812–1886), Hudson's Bay Company surgeon and naturalist at Fort Nisqually, Washington. Also grown as a houseplant (the piggy-back habit is the novelty feature indoors). 'Taff's Gold' has gold-variegated foliage. Native to moist conifer forest understory, stream banks, and shaded moist slopes from Alaska south through BC, Washington, and Oregon. Consistent moisture. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Full shade to partial shade. Native. Zones 5–9. Growth rate is moderate.

Native Range

Native to Alaska south through BC, Washington, and Oregon, growing in moist conifer forest understory, stream banks, and shaded moist slopes.

Suggested Uses

Grown as a native shade groundcover and houseplant in zones 5–9. The piggy-back leaf plantlets are the species feature. Consistent moisture. Also grown indoors. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Native.

How to Identify

Identified by hairy palmately lobed maple-like leaves with plantlets developing at the blade-petiole junction (the piggy-back habit). The vegetative plantlet on the leaf is the species identifier. Near-monotypic genus. Named after William Fraser Tolmie. In Saxifragaceae spp.. Native.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height1' - 2'

Width/Spread1' - 2'

Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years

Colors

Flower Colors

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~3 weeks

Spring Summer

Late spring to early summer (May–June) — brownish-purple inconspicuous tubular flowers on slender stems. The piggy-back leaf plantlets — not the flowers — are the primary feature.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Brownish-purple to chocolate, tubular, inconspicuous, 0.3 inch (8 mm), on slender stems 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) above the foliage

Foliage Description

Medium green, hairy, palmately lobed (5-7 shallow lobes), maple-like, 2-4 inches (5-10 cm); plantlets develop at the junction of the leaf blade and petiole

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunPartial Shade SunFull Shade

Requires 1-3 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.0 - 7.0(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

1-2 years

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Full shade to partial shade. Consistent moisture. The piggy-back plantlets root where they contact soil. Also grown as a houseplant. 'Taff's Gold' for gold-variegated foliage. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Native. Zones 5–9.

Pruning

Remove spent flower stems and dead foliage in early spring (March). No other pruning. The plant spreads by the rooting piggy-back plantlets.

Pruning Schedule

early spring

Container Growing

✓ Suitable for container growing

Minimum container size: 2 gallons

✓ Toxicity

Non-toxic