These plants have a secret. When mountain rains arrive, the lovely blooms turn clear, glowing with pearly iridescence. Diphylleia grayi is a deciduous perennial which dies back in winter. Its bloom time is May to July, when tiny white flowers with yellow centers burst onto the scene. Not to be overshadowed, the large deeply lobed foliage spreads over the stems with umbrella-like character. The magic of the translucent blooms is a fascinating bit of skeleton flower info. Water seems to melt the color out of the petals, turning them into windows of clear tissue. The tissue thin flowers are so delicate that moisture causes the effect.
