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Key characteristics

Family: Asteraceae
Height: 18-24 inches tall
Width: 12-18 inches wide
Flower color: Pale pink to white
Foliage color: Silvery green, finely lobed and fuzzy, resembling umbrella-like leaves
Bloom time: Late summer to early fall
Light: Partial shade to full shade
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; minimal pruning and cleaning up of spent foliage
Growing zone: USDA Zones 5-8
Wildlife: Attracts pollinators, particularly bees

Perennials

Syneilesis x hybrida

Shredded Umbrella Plant

Syneilesis × hybrida is a unique perennial known for its deeply lobed, umbrella-like foliage that unfurls in early spring. The leaves emerge covered in a soft, silvery fuzz, giving them a ghostly, ethereal appearance that adds texture and interest to shade gardens. As the season progresses, the foliage matures to a rich green, creating a lush and elegant ground cover.

Originating from hybridization between species native to East Asia, Syneilesis × hybrida is valued for its unusual form and adaptability to woodland settings.

Light

Partial shade to full shade

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Late summer to early fall

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Shade Gardens
Woodland Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Containers

Companion plants

Hellebores · Japanese forest grass · Astilbes · Heucheras · Siberian bugloss · Sweet woodruff

Design tip

Fall bloom is its strength, and it earns a place near a path or seating area used late in the year. Cooler light suits it, so tuck it on the north side of a shrub or wall where the soil stays even.