How to Grow Mitella Plants

Guide to Growing Bishop's cap and Miterwort Wild Flowers

Mitella are small hardy perennial woodland plants that reach a height of about 30 cm.

This makes them ideal for use in either a rock or woodland wildflower garden.

Mitella plants have heart shaped leaves and minute tubular flowers of greenish white that bloom in spring and summer.

Some of the common names for Mitella include Miterwort and Bishop's Cap.

Mitella diphylla
Mitella diphylla (Bishop's Cap) photograph by wackybadger.

Mitella
Mitella trifida picture by Brewbooks.

Mitella Growing and Care Guide

Common Names: Bishop’s Cap, Miterwort.
Life Cycle: Hardy perennial.
Height: 12 to 16 inches (30—40 cm).
Native: Northern America. Asia.
Growing Region: Zones 3 to 8.
Flowers: Species dependent: spring through and/or summer.
Flower Details: White/Green. Five-petals. Tiny. Tubular. Raceme.
Foliage: Heart-shaped. Spade-shaped. Green.
Plant Outside: Usually grown from runners.
Seeds: 1/4 inch (6 mm) Summer, when seeds become available.
Set out runners or nursery grown plants in spring or autumn. Spacing 5 to 10 inches (12 to 20 cm).
Sow Inside: No.
Requirements and care: Full or partial shade. Acidic soil pH. Rich soil, moist soil. Regular watering during dry periods. Do not grow close to other plants as Mitella are not the most competitive of plants. Propagate: by dividing at the start of spring. Or let self-seeding occur.

How to Grow Mitella

Miterwort is usually grown from runners, these can be planted in the autumn or spring approximately 10 to 25 cm apart. If you plan to grow Mitella wildflowers from seeds then do so outdoors.

Sow at a depth of 7 mm using fresh seed in summer.
Miterwort likes to grow in shady or partially shaded areas of the garden and requires a rich and acidic soil that should be moist.

Caring for Mitterwort

Once growing it is best to keep the soil that Bishop's Cap, Miterwort, and other Mitella are growing in as moist as possible by regular watering.

Mitella are not the strongest of plants and do not like competition, so give them their own space to grow in and weed thoroughly and carefully around the plants.
If you require more plants take them from the runners, or divide the plant at the start of spring.

I hope that you enjoyed this guide on how to grow Mitella plants. Updated September 2020.