How to Plant Woodland Wildflower Root Divisions

Plant woodland wildflower roots in fall with the buds 1–2 inches below the surface, about 12 inches apart, in part to full shade and rich, leafy soil. Expect a quiet first year.

When to plant
Fall, as soon as your roots arrive
Depth
Buds 1–2 inches below the soil surface; lay rhizomes flat, buds up
Spacing
About 12 inches apart; 2 feet or more for black cohosh
Sun
Part to full shade; morning or dappled sun, no hot afternoon sun
Water
Keep evenly moist until established; water weekly in dry spells
Soil
Rich in organic matter, moist but well-drained

Step by step

  1. Open the package the day it arrives. The roots should be firm and slightly damp. Dormant roots look lifeless and usually aren't. If you can't plant within a day or two, keep them somewhere cool but not freezing, around 40°F.
  2. Just before planting, soak the roots in a bucket of water for 30–60 minutes.
  3. Choose a spot in part to full shade that gets morning or dappled sun, not hot afternoon sun. The ground under deciduous trees is ideal. Work compost or leaf mold into the soil.
  4. Dig each hole 2–2½ times wider than the spread of the roots.
  5. Set the plant so its buds sit 1–2 inches below the surface. Lay rhizomes flat on their side with the buds facing up.
  6. Space plants about 12 inches apart, or 2 feet or more for black cohosh, then firm the soil and water well.
  7. Mark each spot with a label, and leave fallen tree leaves where they land as a natural mulch.

After bloom

Don't tidy these up. Trillium, bloodroot, Virginia bluebells, May-apple and shooting star flower in spring, yellow, and disappear underground by midsummer. That's normal dormancy, not a dead plant. Keep your labels so you don't dig into them in August, and plant later-leafing ferns or hostas nearby to fill the gap. Most spread slowly by rhizome into larger clumps. Trillium dislikes being moved, so choose its spot carefully and leave it alone.