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umbrella plant

Darmera pelatata

Regular price: $3.00
Regular price
Sale price: $3.00

Shipping calculated at checkout.

seed packet (10+ seeds) 1 gal

Seeds ship free with orders over $15.00 to all 50 US states. Seeds ship within 24 hours.

ships spring 2025

The common name, umbrella plant, refers to both the large umbrella-like leaves and the small umbrella-shaped flowers. It takes some imagination to see the pale pink flowers as umbrella shaped, but they are splendid nonetheless. We eagerly await the day they emerge on naked stems in early spring.

This is an imposing West Coast native plant that is best grown in moist, cool climates. We have grown it successfully in our part-shade garden next to a downspout for the last few years.

Renamed Peltiphyllum peltatum

Distinctions: Winner of an Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society

Zones: 5 to 8
Family: Saxifragaceae
Type: Herbaceous Perennial
Height: 36 to 60 in.
Spread: 36 to 60 in.
Exposure: Part Shade to Shade
Soil Conditions: Moist, boggy, average
Bloom Time: April to May
Bloom Color: Pink
Native Range: western North America

Special Characteristics

Little to no care required (once established)
Outstanding fall color

image credits

Image 1 (blooms) Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image 2 (foliage) Wouter Hagens, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Image 3 (spring) Wouter Hagens, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Image 4 (pond) Agnieszka Kwiecień, Nova, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ordering information

Preorders

You may place your order anytime to reserve plants for spring 2025 shipment. If you place multiple orders, we will combine plants into one box (or as many as needed) and any extra shipping charges will be refunded when we ship.

We will begin shipping plants as soon as plants begin to emerge from dormancy in spring. Woodies will likely begin shipping in April. Perennials will likely begin shipping in May. If ordering multiple varieties, we will hold until all plants are ready to ship together. If you would like to receive plants sooner please reach out.

We will check in with you a week before shipping to make sure you receive your plants at a time that is convenient for you.

Shipping

Live plants ship in spring and fall only. Plants may ship dormant, depending on variety and season. Shipping costs are most reasonable when bundling like size plants.

4-inch: 1-6 plants ship for $15.00 / 7-13 plants ship for $18.00 / 14-30 plants ship for $40.00
1-gal: 1-2 plants ship for $18.00 / 3-4 plants ship for $25.00 / 5-6 plants ship for $40.00
trees & shrubs: $27.00-$40.00 each, height dependent
seeds: $6.75 or free with orders over $15.00

We regret that we cannot ship internationally or to the following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, or WA.

Nursery pick up

Plants can be collected from the nursery Monday through Sunday from 10am-4pm in Spring, Summer, and Fall. We prefer 24 hour notice to get your order together and will email you when ready for collection.

If you place a SPRING 2025 PREORDER, we will contact you in spring when your plants are ready for collection. Woodies will likely become available for collection in April. Perennials will likely become available in May. If ordering multiple varieties, we will hold until all plants are ready to be collected together.

Plant Sizes

We most commonly use the following pot sizes for perennials:

4-inch pot: 3.5" H x 3.5" W x 3.5" D
2-quart pot: 6" H x 5.25" W x 5.25" D
1-gallon pot: 6.87" H x 8" Dia (this is a true one gallon pot, not the smaller 'trade' one gallon pot used by many nurseries)

Check out our illustrated pot size guide here.

Representative trees & shrubs are photographed in their pots and posted on each plant page.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do at The Old Dairy. We grow all of our plants outdoors without the use of chemicals, fertilizers, carbon fuels, or peat.

Many of our perennials are grown in the ground and dug upon order (this is especially true for larger sizes). This practice allows us to grow stronger, healthier plants using native soil, and ultimately reduces our impact on the environment.

Our open-pollinated seeds are collected from plants in our mother beds, which have never been treated with chemicals or sprays of any kind.

Read all about our sustainable practices here.

Germination information

Sowing Instructions

This plant is generally easy to grow from seed, however, germination can be erratic. Do not discard seed tray too early. Late summer/early fall sowing strongly recommended.

Sow thinly on a high quality seed starting mix and cover lightly. Seeds should be kept consistently moist, though not wet. Please do not use a humidity dome. Bottom watering is best. Warm temperatures of around 68°F will yield best results. Seedlings benefit from cooler temperatures after germination.

Note: we sowed ten seeds from the lot in September 2024. Three germinated by November 2024. We expect more to emerge in spring.

Timing Options

Fall · Outdoors · We prefer to grow according to the natural rhythms of the season. We sow most of our seed in late summer or fall. They germinate in warm daytime temperatures, sleep through winter, then reemerge in spring.

Spring · Outdoors · Seed can be started outdoors when temperatures warm in spring. Wait until daytime temperatures are consistently in the mid to high 60s.

Late Winter · Indoors · Seed can be started indoors under lights 6-8 weeks before your last frost date. Plants may germinate faster this way, but they will be less robust. We strongly recommend sowing outdoors according to the natural rhythms of the season

Looking for more detail?

Click here for our complete guide demystifying the process of sowing seeds outdoors.