Hedera helix Buttermint Alcea quarter-sized flowers pop up from

quarter-sized flowers pop up from under the leaf to stand perched atop the green foliage

eventually creating a stack of porcupine-like balls

The late JC Raulston had the idea of crossing the Asian Calycanthus sinensis with the native Calycanthus floridus

Alongside the foliage emerge 15" tall flowering stalks topped with a single white hood

In contrast

Hedera helix Buttermint Alcea quarter-sized flowers pop up fromHedera 'Buttermint' is my favorite of the adult ivies a small leaf adult form of Hedera 'Elegantissima' with foliage bearing a central leaf pattern of dark green surrounded by a creamy yellow border. The tight clump forms a 4' tall x 5' wide evergreen mound in 7 years a great year round interest feature in the garden.