Hydrophyllum virginianum commonly called Virginia waterleaf is a wildflower that is native to the moist woodlands of the eastern U.S. and Canada. It is a lovely plant whose leaves have white spots that look like watermarks, giving them one of their names. Found in Connecticut and throughout New England, Native American communities most often used this plant medicinally.
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| H. Zell |
This erect perenial plant in the borage family grows to 18 inches tall on stems that branch out and are sometimes reddish green in color with fine hair. The triangular course toothed leaves are large and divided into three to seven lobes that are separated at the tip and base. Leaves often have white spots on them but they fade as the plant matures. The bell shaped light lavendar colored flowers have a green hairy calyx that has five long pointed teeth and five petals with two protruding stamens with yellow tips. Blooming occurs in early spring through July. This plant spreads by rhizomes and forms large colonies in moist forests. It can also spread by seed.
Medicinal Uses
One of the most common traditional uses was to make tea from the roots to treat dysentery and diarrhea. The tea was also used like an astringent to stop bleeding. The roots were pounded into a paste and applied to cracked lips and sore mouths. The Menominee made a compound decoction of the root to treat chest pain and the Ojibwa made a decoction of the roots to give to children with flux. They also chopped the root up and fed it to their horses to fatten them up!
Did You Know...
Other names for this plant include Eastern waterleaf, John's cabbage, and Shawnee salad.
Young shoots were eaten in salads in the early spring.
The plant's name comes from Greek hydro (water) and phyllon (leaf).
The species name, virginianum refers to the state of Virginia where it was first collected.
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