Circaea canadensis (Fr: circée du Canada | En: broad-leaved enchanter's nightshade)

Broad-leaved Enchanter’s Nightshade

Circaea canadensis
Alternative names: Canadian Enchanter’s Nightshade
French: Circée du Canada

Despite its name, Enchanter’s Nightshade is not a true nightshade, but it is certainly enchanting in its own right. This low-growing woodland perennial produces tiny, delicate white flowers from June to August, which attract small bees and other diminutive pollinators. Its soft green foliage adds a lush, tranquil aesthetic to shaded areas.

Circaea canadensis thrives in part shade to full shade and is ideal for woodland gardens, shaded borders, or underplantings beneath trees. It spreads both by seed and underground rhizomes, allowing it to form dense colonies over time.

This plant’s vigorous growth habit can be particularly useful for suppressing invasive groundcovers like Periwinkle (Vinca) or Goutweed (Aegopodium). In the right location, it is a resilient and attractive native groundcover that brings texture, subtle floral beauty, and strong ecological value to challenging shaded spaces.

Height: ~0.5 m
Bloom time: June to August
Light: Part shade to full shade
Moisture: Moist to moderate
Soil: Variable; prefers humus-rich, well-drained soils
Habitat: Deciduous forests, shaded wetlands, woodland edges
Ecological benefits: Pollinator-friendly, suppresses invasive groundcovers
Edible: Not edible