Shieldleaf

Shieldleaf is a striking perennial native to streambanks and wet meadows of northern California and southern Oregon. It emerges in early spring with clusters of pink, five-petaled flowers held on tall leafless stalks, often blooming before its foliage appears. The plant’s large, round, peltate leaves—sometimes over two feet across—rise later in the season on stout stems, creating a bold presence in moist habitats. Thriving in full sun to partial shade with consistently wet soils, shieldleaf provides cover for wildlife and helps stabilize riparian soils, making it both ecologically valuable and highly ornamental in water gardens and naturalistic plantings.