Vancouveria hexandra, inside-out flower
1 / 6
Perennials

Vancouveria hexandra

inside-out flower

BerberidaceaeNorth America

At a Glance

TypePerennial
HabitSpreading
FoliageDeciduous
Height8–16 inches (20–40 cm)
Width18–36 inches (45–90 cm)
Maturity3 years

Growing Zones

USDA Hardiness Zones

5 - 9
Zone 5
Zone 6
Zone 7
Zone 8
Zone 9
These zones indicate the coldest temperatures this plant can typically survive.
Frost Tolerancehardy

Key Features

Attracts Pollinators
Deer Resistant
Drought Tolerant
Native to North America
Maintenancevery low

Overview

Vancouveria hexandra, commonly called inside-out flower or white inside-out flower, is a delicate, rhizomatous, deciduous perennial in the family Berberidaceae, endemic to the Pacific Northwest and northern California — native to the understory of moist coniferous forests (coast redwood, Douglas fir, and mixed-evergreen forest) from Vancouver Island and southwestern British Columbia south through western Washington and Oregon to northwestern California. It is one of three species in the exclusively Pacific Coast genus Vancouveria, named in honor of Captain George Vancouver (1757–1798), whose expedition charted the Pacific Northwest coast. Plants form spreading colonies of soft, ternately compound leaves on wiry, often reddish stems 8–16 inches (20–40 cm) tall, with leaflets 0.5–1.5 inches (1.2–4 cm) across in two or three sets of three — nine to fifteen leaflets total, each with three shallow lobes and a heart-shaped base resembling a duck's foot. In late spring, slender, leafless stems rise above the foliage bearing open panicles of ten to thirty small, white, nodding flowers 0.4 inch (1 cm) across. The flowers have six petals and six sepals that are swept sharply backward — reflexed — revealing the stamens and pistil and creating the distinctive inside-out appearance from which the common name derives. A Great Plant Pick for Pacific Northwest gardens and an important native groundcover plant.

Native Range

Native to the understory of moist coniferous forests — coast redwood, Douglas fir, and mixed-evergreen forest — from Vancouver Island (southwestern British Columbia) and the San Juan Islands south through western Washington and Oregon to northwestern California (Del Norte, Humboldt, and Trinity counties), growing in humus-rich, moist, well-drained, slightly acidic soils under full tree canopy at low to mid elevations. Native to North America.

Suggested Uses

Inside-out flower is one of the finest native groundcovers for the Pacific Northwest woodland garden, forming a soft, fine-textured, weed-suppressing carpet of ternate foliage with a delightful late-spring display of airy reflexed-petal white flowers. A Great Plant Pick for Pacific Northwest gardens. Outstanding as a large-scale native groundcover under Douglas fir and coast redwood, along shaded paths, and in native plant gardens. Combines naturally with Trillium, Erythronium, Dicentra formosa, Oxalis oregana, Polystichum munitum, and Asarum caudatum for a fully Pacific Northwest native woodland floor composition. Distinguished from the closely related evergreen Vancouveria planipetala by its deciduous habit, softer foliage, and somewhat hardier nature.

How to Identify

Inside-out flower is identified by its delicate, ternately compound leaves on wiry reddish stems, with nine to fifteen small, three-lobed, heart-based leaflets 0.5–1.5 inches (1.2–4 cm) across resembling duck feet. In late spring, slender leafless stems rise above the foliage bearing open panicles of nodding white flowers 0.4 inch (1 cm) across in which the six petals and six sepals are swept sharply backward (reflexed), creating a distinctive inside-out or shuttlecock form that exposes the stamens. The reflexed-petal white flower combined with the ternate duck-foot foliage on reddish wiry stems is immediately diagnostic among Pacific Northwest woodland natives.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height8" - 1'4"
Width/Spread1'6" - 3'

Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years

Colors

Flower Colors

white

Foliage Colors

green

Fall Foliage Colors

yellow

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Spring
Inside-out flower blooms in late spring, typically May through June in Pacific Northwest gardens. Slender, leafless stems 8–16 inches (20–40 cm) tall carry open, branching panicles of ten to thirty small, nodding white flowers 0.4 inch (1 cm) across over three to four weeks. The reflexed petals and sepals create a delicate, airy display above the foliage. After flowering, the foliage continues as a fine-textured, weed-suppressing groundcover through summer before dying back in autumn.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

White; small, nodding, 0.4 inch (1 cm) across; six petals and six sepals reflexed sharply backward (inside-out), exposing stamens; in open panicles of 10–30 flowers

Foliage Description

Ternately compound; nine to fifteen three-lobed, heart-based leaflets 0.5–1.5 inches (1.2–4 cm); soft, light to mid-green; on wiry, often reddish stems

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

Partial Shade
Full Shade
Tolerates up to 4 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 - 6.5(Acidic)
357912
Soil Types
loampeat
Drainage
well drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Low

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Time to Maturity

2–3 years

Drought Tolerance

Drought tolerant when established

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Plant in partial to full shade in moist, humus-rich, well-drained, slightly acidic soil. Inside-out flower thrives in the cool, moist conditions of Pacific Northwest woodland gardens under tree canopy — conditions that naturally replicate its native coast redwood and Douglas fir forest habitat. Incorporate generous leaf mold at planting. Keep consistently moist through spring and early summer; tolerates some summer dryness once established. The spreading rhizomes form a steadily expanding colony — a desirable quality for large-scale shaded groundcover planting. In Pacific Northwest gardens, one of the most reliable and attractive native groundcovers for deep, dry shade. Slug protection may be needed on young plants.

Pruning

No routine pruning required. The foliage dies back naturally in autumn — remove dead stems in late autumn or early spring before new growth emerges. Divide or thin spreading rhizomes in early spring if needed for propagation or to control colony spread.

Pruning Schedule

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
early spring

Maintenance Level

very low

⚠️ Toxicity Warning

Non-toxic