Anemopsis californica, Yerba Mansa

Yerba mansa is a perennial flowering plant native to wet areas, but adaptable to regular or moderate garden water. In early spring, numerous tiny white flowers are borne on a cone which is surrounded by 4-9 large white spoon-shaped bracts that look like petals. As it matures, the visible part of the plant develops red stains, eventually turning bright red in the fall.

Due to its requirement for moist soil, plant it in streambeds, seeps or other damp areas. It goes dormant and basically disappears from late summer to early winter, and re-sprouts from the roots in late winter. It will often spread out like a carpet throughout the damper soil, and choke out any other plants in the area, and in particular while it’s blooming, it’s quite beautiful.

The low rosettes of leaves get about 12” high by 2 ft wide and will spread into attractive colonies. Site it in sun to light shade. Yerba mansa means “calming herb” in Spanish and Herbalists have long used the roots and leaves for medicinal purposes.