Dutchman's Breeches

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Dutchman's Breeches or Dicentra cucullaria is a true spring Tennessee Native woodland ephemeral species. It flowers early in the spring when sunlight hits the woodland floor before the canopy of the trees fill in. This is an ideal time for the first emerging bumblebees to find and nectar on the flowers. By early summer, the green foliage (which resemble fern-like leaves) will fade to a light yellow and eventually will go into total dormancy by mid-summer. The common name Dutchman's breeches comes from the pair of outer petals which form a swollen 'V' making the hanging flower look like a pair of white breeches/bloomers hung upside-down. It is host plant to the Scripted Arches Moth (Mamestra curialis). Care Thrives in shaded, undisturbed forests with rich, moist, well-drained soil. Keep soil consistently moist, especially during early spring growth, but not waterlogged. No pruning is required. Allow the foliage to die back naturally as they go into dormancy by mid-summer. Best grown in zones 3-7. Growth Habit Unique, fragrant white or pink flowers that look like upside-down white trousers, with fern-like, grayish-green foliage. They go dormant by mid-summer, making them ideal for under planting deciduous trees. Toxicity All parts of dutchman's breeches are poisonous to cats, cattle, and humans because it synthesizes the neurotoxic alkaloid isoquinoline. Deer resistant. Show more