Circaea lutetiana

Circaea lutetiana showing the growth form and flowers
Circaea lutetiana is a perennial herbaceous plant with opposite, simple leaves, on slender, green stems. The flowers are white, borne in summer. It grows   20 cm  to 60 cm, rarely up to 75 centimeters high.The leaves are rounded or slightly notched at the base, they  narrow gradually to the pointed tip and are  not strongly toothed, but have sinuate edges. The leaf stalks are equally hairy all round.The flower has 2 notched petals, 2 stamens and a 2-lobed stigma. The  open flowers are well spaced along the stalk and there are no bracts at base of individual flower stalks. The fruit consists of 2 equal cells, and usually sets seed. The flower stalks become angled downwards before fruiting. The fruit is a small bur 3.5-5mm which aids the plant's dispersal via zoochory.
In winter the aerial parts die off leaving an underground rhizome.
Circaea alpina will hybridize with Circaea lutetiana producing sterile offspring that persists in vegetative colonies.

3-6 hours of sun per day, with protection from intense mid-day sun

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Circaea Lutetiana

Circaea lutetiana

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