Aspidistra elatior, also known as Cast Iron Plant, was a popular house plant in drafty dark Victorian parlors. I suppose they liked them in bright parlors with no drafts but the literature doesn't say anything about that. Anyway, these are really tough plants that almost rival sansevierias for toughness. Sansevierias can go for a very long time without water, don't know if Aspidistras can but both can take a lot of abuse and lack of light.
While lovely growing in the ground, it sometimes looks a little sporadic in where it pops up. I like growing it in pots outside. This works well for me because the heavily timber bamboo laden soil in the area where I have this pot is pretty hostile ground for other plants.
Native to China and Japan, cast iron plant gets its common name from its ability to survive significant cultural abuse. It is an easily-maintained, stemless, evergreen foliage plant that typically grows to 3’ tall. Arching, lanceolate, glossy dark green leaves (to 24” long and 4” wide) rise up directly from its fleshy rootstock on long stems. Insignificant creamy-purple flowers may appear at soil level in spring, but usually do not form on houseplants. Leaves benefit from occasional washing.
Common Name: cast-iron plant
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Family: Ruscaceae
Zone: 8 to 10 (some sites say zone 7b)
Height: 2.00 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: Seasonal bloomer
Bloom Description: Creamy purple
Sun: Part shade to full shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Insignificant
Leaf: Evergreen
Tolerate: Drought, Heavy Shade
Aspidistra elatior variegata is looking fresh and happy even after our big freeze.
This was Loree's favorite plant in December of 2012. You can visit her post about it here. To see some wonderful varieties including one that I'm going to try to get from Plant Delights Nursery, go here. And whatever you do, go to Danger Garden here to check out favorite plants of other garden bloggers taking part in the favorite plant meme this week.
I have been growing Aspidistra elatior in Washington, DC (zone 7a/b) for over 10 years. It has proven to be a very tough and reliable plant, taking high single digits without any trouble. The main problem is that winter sun makes it look awful: the leaves on my plants tend to bleach out in February, when the sun is higher in the sky and trees haven't leafed out yet to provide shade. Then it takes its sweet time putting out fresh foliage, which it always does but not until well into the summer. (I generally just cut off the bleached foliage, which doesn't seem to harm the plant any.)
ReplyDeleteMine are grown in the shade of evergreens so they don't have a bleaching problem. Well, that and we have that nice insulating blanket of clouds for much of the winter.
DeleteI bought two solid green ones not long after Loree's post on them. And now I have a couple of stripey ones too. Such a great plant. Totally unfazed by our December Deep Freeze.
ReplyDeleteThey are pretty cool!
DeleteHooray for Aspidistra! A surprisingly tough and hardy plant!
ReplyDeleteYes indeed.
DeleteOhh, I didn't know it was capable of surviving big freezes! I must put mine into the ground then!
ReplyDeleteIt is a really nice plant.
Not really big or sustained freezes but it is a lovely plant that can take deep shade! Yes, set it free.
DeleteI remember first seeing them in a hell-strip in Eugene, I had no idea they were so hardy! Bought my first one shortly after that. I try and add at least one every year (they can be a little pricey!). Can't wait to see which fancy one from Plant Delights you end up with!
ReplyDeleteIt was one that I saw on Plant Lust but Plant Delights isn't listing it this year. Oh well, I'll have to continue adding to the collection at plant sales!
DeleteCistus does have quite a fabulous aspidistra, maybe try them?
DeleteWhat is the very fine-textured plant behind and to the left of the Aspidistra in your last photo? They make a great combination.
ReplyDeleteSciadopitys verticillata is the other plant, a great and slow-growing tree that looks adorable with snow on it as well.
DeleteThat plant's not very cast iron in my zone. It's a bit more like burned tin foil but it looks great for you! You have to admire a plant named after cast iron, though. You'd expect it to be a bit of a bad ass. :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's pretty darned cast iron as a houseplant though even for you!
DeleteI avoid houseplants so I hadn't thought about it like that. It would probably laugh at my Christmas cactus but I could keep them separated. :o)
DeleteI have always thought of them only as house plants. Didn't know they were hardy here.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of fun to put them out in pots to decorate an outdoor room. Messes with one's mind to see them looking green outside in the winter.
DeleteHello! I've heard for years that PNW springs are too cool for Aspidistras to initiate growth. I'm so happy to hear reports of them surviving even the December 2013 freeze. The ones in your pictures don't even look damaged! Do you protect the one in the container at all? I currently live in North Carolina and have collected a bunch of seedling aspidistra (they are everywhere here). Now I'm thinking some of them need to go to my parents' garden back home in western Washington!
ReplyDeleteI heard Cisco Morris say just the other day that they are only borderline hardy here but that has not been my experience at all. They are not particularly fast growers for me and don't put on new growth until later in the summer. If they were herbaceous, it wouldn't work so well here but since they're evergreen, the new growth emerging later is no big deal. By all means, send some to your parents!
DeleteThey don't even grow especially fast in North Carolina, and most Aspidistras, not just A. elatior, don't put out new leaves here until mid summer, so that's not too much earlier compared to the PNW. I'm totally plant-geeking over this revelation. Now I'm going to be an annoying know-it-all and say that they are herbaceous, since they don't have above-ground woody stems, but they are evergreen where most herbaceous plants are deciduous. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
DeleteSuch a pretty and tough plant! Happy Saturday, Peter!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Satu. I hope you're having an enjoyable weekend!
DeleteIt's a wonderful, lush plant and such a workhorse (in its quiet way.) I love that variegated one! And I'm pretty smitten by the frosty variations you linked to, as well.
ReplyDeleteI was embarrassed to re-read Loree's post and realize I semi-promised divisions of my potted A. elatior for last spring's plant exchange. Of course, I still need to divide it, so maybe I'll have some this spring!
I'm hoping to find one of those frosty ones this season!
DeleteGardeners get busy with stuff, don't be embarrassed, we all do the same thing!
Every once in a while, I feel I know next to nothing about plants, despite gardening for over a decade. How come I never heard about this plant? I have shady corners that will benefit from a hardy evergreen such as Aspidistra. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThey can be pretty pricey because they're slow growers but I've found them for lower prices at the specialty plant sales. This one is often found in the house plant section of nurseries because it's also a great plant for inside.
DeleteThere are so many plants to know! I make new plant friends all the time and I've been gardening for more years than I care to think about. Of course my memory is coated in Teflon so nothing sticks.
Very timely. Looks like we are going to be on the lookout for more plants with cast iron constitutions.
ReplyDeleteSadly you're right! Fortunately, we've got lots of great choices in the great PNW!
DeleteI too am greatly appreciative of my Aspidistra. It's standing strong in its dark corner despite the Deep Freeze. I have the regular green one, but now I'm lusting for a variegated one. Had no idea there were so many varieties... This is very exciting! :)
ReplyDeleteJust saw a speckled one at a local nursery. Almost bought it but the speckles make me think that it's diseased even though it's not.
DeleteLoved reading about the Aspidistra, and only yesterday found out that was the name of my plant that I found in the garbage about 20 years ago--a solid mass of root and stems (no leaves/no pot), and had no idea what it was but felt compelled to take it in and care for it. Lo and behold a mighty Aspidistra arose! I potted it and grew it outside (Los Angeles) for many years, and now am in an apartment where it thrives in indirect soft light as the focal point of my room. It has now produced several off-spring plants, both indoors and out. All the above comments are typical of my experience. I find it fascinating that I am a lover of wrought iron/iron in all its varieties, and it is referred to as the "cast iron plant." Curiouser and curiouser. Happy gardening--Barbara
ReplyDeleteWhat a cool story about finding your Aspidistra! Thanks for sharing it and for visiting my blog! Welcome!
DeleteOne more comment--Bamboo is grown in Japan/China where earthquakes are so prevalent--and people can stand within the bamboo groves during a quake to help protect from being swallowed up by ground subsidence. "The interlocked roots of a bamboo grove restrain the river in flood and during earthquakes support the insubstantial dwellings of country villages." (ref: Bamboo by Austin, Levy, Ueda, 1970). The Aspidistra appears to have similar albeit smaller similarities--perhaps for animals and wee folk needing stability as well! Barbara-Los Angeles
ReplyDeleteI knew that bamboo helped with soil stability but didn't know it did to this extent. Thanks for sharing the info! Next earthquake, I'll head out to the bamboo grove!
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