nature of your neighborhood logo

Vanilla leaf

As a Northwest native herbaceous groundcover, Vanilla Leaf is best known for the vanilla smell of its dried leaves during the winter. It is also known as Deer’s Foot. Vanilla Leaf grows all along the west coast, from northern California well up into British Columbia. Reaching to a height of 1’, it spreads out though underground rhizomes to form a dense under-story to native trees and shrubs. Each leaf consists of 3 horizontally-oriented leaflets which have scalloped edges. Leaflets can have either finely and sharply toothed or bluntly tipped lobes. Description from wsu.edu

Home  >  Plant Guide  >  

Vanilla leaf

Vanilla leaf fast facts

Scientific Name

Achlys triphylla

Family

Berberidaceae

Garden Type

Anywhere

Wildlife

Does not attract wildlife

Native Plant Region

Western WA, PNW, North America

Light needs

Filtered, Full Shade

Water Needs

Medium

Plant Type

Deciduous, Groundcover & Grasses, Perennial

Bloom Color(s)

White

Height

0 – 2 feet

Width

2 – 5 feet

Months in Bloom

March, April, May, June

Safe Beneath Power Lines?

Yes
Vanilla leaf

Have feedback on this plant listing?

We’d like to maintain accurate and robust plant listings. If you see information that is not correct or that could be added to improve the listing, please let us know. Or if you’d like to suggest a plant to add to our plant guide, you can use this form do so. Thank you!

Start Nurturing Your Neighborhood Today

Community

Get Gardening!

Start a garden in a planting strip along the street. Explore our interactive corridor map, find what to grow, and start nurturing today.

READ MORE
fern
Community

The Nature of Capitol Hill

Despite the urban character and the high population density, a surprising diversity of life exists in Capitol Hill. Explore a few physical aspects of our urban ecosystems and meet some of its more-than-human residents.

READ MORE