It’s been over six years since we planted our first Pinellia ‘Purple Dragon’ in the garden, and we continue to be enthralled by it’s garden performance. If you don’t know the genus, Pinellia, it’s effectively an all-season flowering cousin of arisaema (Jack-in-the-pulpit). Down here in the south, we affectionally call ’em Redneck Jack-in-the-pulpits. While many of the eleven species can become quite weedy in the garden (and have been banished from JLBG) via seed or bulbils, this is one of two sterile hybrids that do not spread. The photo below started as four individual pots, planted in 2022. While PInellia ‘Purple Dragon’ grows well in shade, it really thrives with 2-4 hours of morning sun, as you can see by the plants below, each forming an 18″ tall x 18″ wide clump.
This incredible hybrid (P. tripartita x discolor) from NY’s Glover’s Perennials, is a plant we wouldn’t garden without. Hardiness is Zone 5a-9b.
well i for one will NOT be buying any pin.purple dragon. i’ll take purple perilla any day!
Purple perilla is one of the most weedy annuals in existence, while this purple pinellia is a sterile perennial. We’re missing the logic in your comments.