Howdy readers and welcome back to plant of the week!  This week I want to concentrate on a native plant of Indiana.  I did a little searching online to find a good candidate and found a quaint little woodland perennial my parents always pointed out to me on hikes!  Hopefully you will enjoy reading about Dutchman’s Breeches as much as I have!

Dicentra cucullaria, Dutchman’s Breeches, is native to the entirety of Indiana as well as a majority of the United States!  Preferring the partial sun/full shade lifestyle of the woods it is best to plant them in a spot that is moist and away from direct sunlight.  It grows to about six inches in height and puts up long peduncles that have 2-6 flowers each.  The peduncle will generally bend to one side causing the flowers to droop and hang upside down form them.  It’s flowers attract honeybees and butterflies, among other nectar seekers.  For me the most interesting fact about this plant is that its seeds are spread by ants!  The ants carry the seeds to their nests, nibble on the outside of the seed and then discard it somewhere else.  Nature has a fascinating way of getting around!

Being native, with attractive foliage and flowers this is a fantastic plant that we are fortunate to have in our very own forests!  Read more about this plant here.