I’ll admit it—I’m a pushover for large foliage. Maybe it’s because I’m a big fan of (garden) drama. Perhaps it’s because I’m a huge proponent of juxtaposition in the landscape. But mostly it’s because I’m fascinated by scale and proportion. Years ago, I carved out a low portion of my property, built a seating wall, and surrounded it with plants that sported large leaves. While spending time there, I found my mind wandering to all-but-forgotten happy childhood memories. Why? Because I felt physically smaller while surrounded by plants with gigantic leaves. Through this unexpected discovery, I learned that gardens can be tailored to elicit specific emotions and memories.

My hands-down favorite plants for producing this type of garden magic are Chinese mayapples. I’m obsessed with them. And although I do grow and adore our native mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum, Zones 3–8), I prefer the Chinese species and hybrids. While our native option seasonally disappears after it blooms in late spring, most of the Chinese mayapples remain beautiful and active until a hard frost in fall.

Many of these plants exhibit brilliantly patterned foliage, but it’s the solid-green varieties that have a special place in my heart—and in my garden. I’m particularly fond of the northern Chinese mayapple. It is one of the easiest of this genus to grow. The attractive foliage is a dark, glossy green and deeply lobed. This robust beauty produces clusters of red flowers that hang like fruit underneath the leaves, bringing back memories of childhood treasure hunts in the forest. But the most fantastic thing about this plant is its size. The leaves can reach a larger-than-dinner-plate width of 18 inches across, atop 36-inch-tall stems. A bonus is that northern Chinese mayapple spreads via underground rhizomes, so it can quickly (albeit politely) form an impressive mass. It’s also amazingly deer and rabbit resistant.

The best way to use this specimen is to juxtapose it with shade-loving plants that sport fine foliage such as Himalayan maidenhair fern (Adiantum venustum, Zones 4–8). It also looks great paired with dwarf hostas like ‘Blue Mouse Ears’ (Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’, Zones 3–8), foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia, Zones 4–9), or any epimedium (Epimedium spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9).

Do yourself—and your inner child—a favor by adding some magic to the garden with northern Chinese mayapple.

Northern Chinese mayapple Podophyllum versipelle subsp. boreale Zones: 6–9 Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist, well-drained, humus-rich soil Native range: China

See more Super Cool Plants:

Top picks from past issues

Jay Sifford is an award-winning garden designer residing in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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