Foam flower (Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice')
Tiarella 'Sugar and Spice' is a low-maintenance Foam flower prized for delicate pink blooms in spring and attractive marked foliage.
Scroll down to discover growing tips, care requirements, companion plants, and more
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ is a fantastic choice for gardeners seeking reliable ground cover or border definition in shaded spaces. This specific Foam flower hybrid is celebrated for its textured, pinnately divided green leaves that often feature a distinctive dark band at the center of each division, providing year-round visual interest. Beyond the attractive foliage, this perennial delivers a delightful show of slightly fragrant, frosted pink flowers in the early spring.
As an herbaceous perennial that requires low maintenance, Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ offers significant aesthetic rewards for minimal effort. It thrives best in woodland settings, mimicking its native habitat requirements, and provides a dense mound that effectively smothers weeds and darkens shady borders. The compact size and semi-evergreen nature make Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ a highly versatile woodland gem.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Saxifragaceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 4-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 0.5-1 ft
- Spread: 0.5-1 ft
- Bloom Time: April to May
- Bloom Description: Frosted pink with white interior
- Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
Plant Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ during the cooler periods of spring or fall. Locate this Foam flower in areas receiving part shade to full shade, ensuring the spot receives consistent moisture. It is crucial to provide humusy, organically rich, and moisture-retentive soils, as this plant performs poorly if allowed to dry out completely. Avoid overly wet soils, especially during winter, as soggy conditions can prove fatal to the crowns.
Care for established Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ requires consistent, medium watering to keep the soil evenly moist throughout the growing season. While it rarely needs fertilizer, incorporating compost annually helps maintain those preferred organic, rich soil conditions. After flowering concludes in May, removing the spent flower spikes is recommended to encourage a neater foliage mound and keep the plant looking tidy.
Depending on your climate, the foliage remains semi-evergreen. In milder zones, expect good retained color; in harsher winters, the foliage may decline, requiring cleanup in early spring before new growth emerges. This ease of care contributes to the low maintenance reputation of Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’.
Landscape Uses
Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ excels as an outstanding ground cover solution where turf grasses struggle due to deep shade. Its arching, mounding habit is perfect for softening the edges of woodland gardens or creating a lush carpet beneath mature trees. Use this Foam flower selection along the front of shaded borders to provide texture and early spring color.
For moist areas near streams, ponds, or bog gardens, Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ handles the consistent moisture well, assuming drainage prevents standing water pockets. Massing this plant creates a unified, sweeping effect, contrasting beautifully with bolder structural plants like hostas or ferns. Its manageable size also makes it an excellent, colorful addition to shaded containers or mixed shade troughs.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
- Fragrant
Noteworthy Characteristics
Tiarella is a genus of about 7 species of herbaceous perennials from East Asia and North America, making them superb ground covers in woodland gardens and shady borders, similar in appearance to Heuchera or Mitella. The genus name, Tiarella, derives from the Greek word ‘tiara,’ referencing the small crown shape of the fruit. ‘Sugar and Spice’ is specifically noted for its unique spring flowers and its shiny, deeply dissected green leaves marked with a contrasting dark center ribbon. These vibrant leaves emerge early, forming a mound that is soon topped by slightly fragrant, frosted pink-and-white flower racemes in April and May.
Tolerances
- Deer
Potential Problems
Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ generally exhibits excellent resistance to most common garden insects and diseases. However, gardeners should be vigilant for signs of powdery mildew, especially if air circulation is poor or if humidity levels remain very high. The primary pests to watch out for are slugs and root weevils, which can chew on the attractive foliage if left unchecked.
Management of slugs and weevils often involves routine inspection and the use of appropriate baits or manual removal, especially early in the season when new growth first appears. Maintaining proper soil moisture—moist but never waterlogged—will help keep the plant vigorously healthy and less susceptible to opportunistic infections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Foam flower suitable for?
Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ is hardy and reliably perennial in USDA Zones 4 through 9, offering a great range for eastern and midwestern gardening regions.
How large does Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ grow?
This Foam flower forms a compact mound, typically reaching between 0.5 to 1 foot in height and spreading to match that width, making it ideal for border fronts.
When does Foam flower bloom?
You can expect the charming flowers of Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ to appear in the mid-spring, specifically flowering from April to May with a frosted pink and white interior tone.
What sun exposure does Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ need?
This plant thrives best when sited in part shade, though it can tolerate full shade, provided the soil remains consistently moist and rich.
Conclusion
Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ is an invaluable, low-maintenance perennial perfect for brightening the darkest corners of your landscape with its unique foliage and lovely spring blooms. The combination of deer resistance and shade tolerance secures its spot as a dependable ground cover. Before planting, confirm your garden falls within USDA Zones 4-9 and prepare a rich, well-draining soil location to best enjoy this beautiful Foam flower hybrid.
Companion Planting
When designing a woodland garden featuring Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’, selecting companions that share similar cultural requirements—namely shade and consistent moisture—will ensure the best results. Hostas provide bold, architectural contrast to the fine texture of the Foam flower foliage. Similarly, ferns like Japanese Painted Ferns or Oakleaf Hydrangeas offer differing leaf shapes and varying degrees of spring color.
Consider pairing the delicate, airy spikes of the Foam flower with plants that bloom slightly later, extending the interest throughout the summer. Heuchera (Coral Bells), which are in the same family concept, offer a wide spectrum of foliage colors that complement the green and maroon markings on Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’ beautifully.
Seasonal Care Calendar
Early Spring (Pre-emergence): Clean up any remaining dead foliage from the previous winter, especially if the leaves were damaged or fully died back. Top dress the soil around the clump with a thin layer of well-aged compost to replenish organic matter before active growth begins.
Late Spring/Early Summer (Bloom Time): Deadhead the flower spikes immediately after blooming is finished to clean up the appearance of the plant mass. This is the critical period to ensure consistent watering; do not let the soil become dry during the early flush of leaf production.
Mid-Summer/Fall: Monitor moisture levels, as the dense planting area may heat up or dry out under tree canopies. While low maintenance, a mid-summer water boost during drought conditions is beneficial for Tiarella ‘Sugar and Spice’. Little to no fertilization is usually necessary.
