The flowering stalk of bishop's cap with its snowflake like flowers sits adjacent to a skunk cabbage leaf.
Part of the flowering stalk of Bishops Cap is close-up for a good look at the snowflake like petals of the white flower.
Four bishop's cap plants are seen in different stages of bloom among wild leeks and spring beauty.
Two Great White Trillium are in the foreground while bishops cap flowering stalks are in the background near a boardwalk made to keep humans off the soggy ground..
Several Bishop's Cap flowering stalks are growing in front of a dark tree stump. The two leaves on the stalk are visible.
A flowering stalk of Bishop's Cap peaks out from among big green skunk cabbage leaves.
Yellowish seed pods have popped open revealing the small, shiny black seeds.
The shiny black seeds of Bishop's Cap are sitting on a plate among other chaff.
The flowering stalk of bishop's cap with its snowflake like flowers sits adjacent to a skunk cabbage leaf.
Part of the flowering stalk of Bishops Cap is close-up for a good look at the snowflake like petals of the white flower.
Four bishop's cap plants are seen in different stages of bloom among wild leeks and spring beauty.
Two Great White Trillium are in the foreground while bishops cap flowering stalks are in the background near a boardwalk made to keep humans off the soggy ground..
Several Bishop's Cap flowering stalks are growing in front of a dark tree stump. The two leaves on the stalk are visible.
A flowering stalk of Bishop's Cap peaks out from among big green skunk cabbage leaves.
Yellowish seed pods have popped open revealing the small, shiny black seeds.
The shiny black seeds of Bishop's Cap are sitting on a plate among other chaff.

Bishop's Cap (Mitella diphylla)

from $3.50

Bishop’s cap, like Dutchman’s Breeches, seems to belong in a fairy land. The is due to the intricate, tiny white flowers that look like snowflakes. The petals actually consist of very thin lobes and the name for this kind of structure is pinnatifid. Flowers are all along a long stalk coming up from the basal leaves. The pedicels, or flower stalks, are short.

Basal leaves are toothed and have three main pointed tips at the end of the leaf. Along the flowering stalk there is a pair of leaves with a small or absent petiole (leaf stem) and this is the origin of the species epithet, diphylla.

Small flies and bees pollinate bishop’s cap flowers while taking nectar and pollen for food. I have seen mosquitoes on these flowers too. Were they just using it as a landing spot? Or were they collecting food? it has been suggested that more study is needed to find out which insects pollinate this plant.

Once pollinated, the ovary swells into a green ball-shaped pod. After a bit more time, these pods break open revealing the small, shiny black seeds. Like with Foam Flower, seeds are dispersed when rain hits these open pods.

This plant can spread by seed or rhizome.

Companion Plants: wild leek, Michigan lily, sweet white violet, brome-like sedge, bladder sedge, purple-sheathed graceful sedge, marsh marigold

Bishop’s Cap (Mitella diphylla)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Bishop’s Cap

height: 12- 18 inches

bloom time: April-May

soil: medium, rich

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 12”

flower: white

life cycle: perennial

family: Saxifragaceae

Sizes:

Bishop’s cap, like Dutchman’s Breeches, seems to belong in a fairy land. The is due to the intricate, tiny white flowers that look like snowflakes. The petals actually consist of very thin lobes and the name for this kind of structure is pinnatifid. Flowers are all along a long stalk coming up from the basal leaves. The pedicels, or flower stalks, are short.

Basal leaves are toothed and have three main pointed tips at the end of the leaf. Along the flowering stalk there is a pair of leaves with a small or absent petiole (leaf stem) and this is the origin of the species epithet, diphylla.

Small flies and bees pollinate bishop’s cap flowers while taking nectar and pollen for food. I have seen mosquitoes on these flowers too. Were they just using it as a landing spot? Or were they collecting food? it has been suggested that more study is needed to find out which insects pollinate this plant.

Once pollinated, the ovary swells into a green ball-shaped pod. After a bit more time, these pods break open revealing the small, shiny black seeds. Like with Foam Flower, seeds are dispersed when rain hits these open pods.

This plant can spread by seed or rhizome.

Companion Plants: wild leek, Michigan lily, sweet white violet, brome-like sedge, bladder sedge, purple-sheathed graceful sedge, marsh marigold

Bishop’s Cap (Mitella diphylla)

Michigan Flora reference page for state distribution: Bishop’s Cap

height: 12- 18 inches

bloom time: April-May

soil: medium, rich

sun: partial, shade

plant spacing: 12”

flower: white

life cycle: perennial

family: Saxifragaceae

Several spring wildflowers are in the Saxifrage family (Saxifragacea) . Bishop’s Cap, Foam Flower, Prairie Alum Root, and Early Saxifrage all fall into this category (bolded species are the ones we sell). They consist of basal leaves with stalks, the flowers small and growing off the stalks. There is another plant in the Mitella genus called Mitella nuda. It is a smaller plant overall, with slightly larger, cream colored flowers.