Not the plant you're looking for? Search over 300,000 plants
Herbaceous Perennial

Tropaeolum polyphyllum

yellow lark's heels

A herbaceous scrambling plant growing from long tubers to a spread of 1m or more. Rich yellow flowers with long spurs appear throughout summer over a mass of blue-green lobed leaves

Other common names
yellow rock Indian cress

Join the RHS

Become an RHS Member today and save 25% on your first year

Join now
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
Up to 10cm
Time to ultimate height
2–5 years
Ultimate spread
1–1.5 metres
Growing conditions
Sand
Loam
Chalk
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Grey Silver Green
Summer Yellow Orange Grey Silver Green
Autumn Grey Silver Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness
H3
Botanical details
Family
Tropaeolaceae
Native to GB / Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Trailing
Potentially harmful
Skin allergen. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling
Genus

Tropaeolum can be annuals or perennials, bushy, trailing or climbing by twining stems, with simple or palmately lobed leaves and showy funnel-shaped flowers with five long-clawed petals and often a spur

Name status

Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in a sheltered scree, gravel garden, raised bed or large rock garden. Useful ground cover. Plant into well-drained, but moist soil in full sun

Propagation

Propagate by division of tubers in spring or by seeds as soon as ripe, or by basal softwood cuttings in spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Rock garden
  • Gravel garden
  • Coastal
  • Low Maintenance
  • Banks and slopes
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Ground cover
Pruning

No pruning required. Cut back at the end of the season

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse red spider mite and whitefly

Diseases

Generally disease-free

Get involved

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.