DUTCHMAN'S-BREECHES

(species Dicentra cucullaria), plant of the fumitory family (Fumariaceae) named for its sprays of tremulous, yellow-tipped white flowers that fancifully resemble the wide-legged, traditional pantaloons worn by Dutch men. The plant is native throughout eastern and midwestern North America, usually in open woodlands. The gray-green foliage grows from white underground tubers and is not as tall as the flowering stalk, which also springs directly from the ground. It grows best in the shady wild garden, preferably in a wind-free location.