Reminiscent of the television graphics when the Starship Enterprise shifts into hyper warp drive, Aspidistra sichuanensis ‘Warp Drive’ gives the same effect in the woodland garden. Unlike Aspidistra elatior cultivars, which have upright foliage, the leaves on Aspidistra sichuanensis arch at a 90% angle, creating a very different visual effect in the woodland garden, as
JLBG is now up to 61 cast iron plant species, making our collection mostly likely the world’s most extensive. One of the truly great garden cast iron plants we had the pleasure of introducing was Aspidistra basalis, which we first offered in 2010, nearly two years before it became an official species. Our clone, Aspidistra
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I can’t say that I’d ever thought about using cast iron plants as hedging, but we might need to rethink that with one of new hybrids. Aspidistra x sichlatior ‘Screen Gem’ is our hybrid of Aspidistra sichuanensis x Aspidistra elatior. This selection from our 2021 seedlings has already reached 4.5′ in height. Other than acubua,
With a tribute to the Frankie Laine theme song for the 1950/1960s television western, the cast iron plant that bears the same name is equally as tough and long lasting. We offered this amazing, compact selection of Aspidistra sichuanensis for several years, but sadly, it never sold very well, possibly due to its slow growth
Rollin’, Rollin’, Rollin’…Rawhide Read More »
Over the last decade, we’ve grown a large number of cast iron plants from seed, and due to the diversity of plants in our collection (228 unique taxa), the diversity of seedlings have also been quite astonishing. Below is the latest seedling of Aspidistra elatior, that we found worthy of the name, Aspidistra ‘Split Personality’.
We recently included a photo of this amazing cast iron plant in a garden vignette, but thought it was also deserving of a full frontal centerfold. Aspidistra sichuanensis ‘Spotty’ is one of 16 named cultivars we grow, of this wonderful species from Sichuan, China. This exceptional clone was selected by our friend, Sean Hogan of
Here’s another picture that shows contrasting forms and textures in the garden. In the center is a Cryptomeria japonica Gracilis’, backed by a clump of cast iron plant, Aspidistra sichuanensis ‘Spotty’. Rounding out the combination in the front is Alstroemeria psittacina ‘Variegata’
We are entering peak flowering season for Aspidistra (cast iron plants), a time we always enjoy because of the fascinating leaf and flower diversity in the genus. One of several species flowering this week is the rare, South Central Vietnam native, Aspidistra quangngaiensis, a species only discovered and described in 2017. Sadly, it’s small population
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The cast iron plant fall-flowering season has begun, and we happened to catch this amazing flower of Aspidistra quadripartita ‘Giraffe’ this week. Because these bizarre flowers are born at or near ground level, they are easy to miss, by all but the most obsessive gardeners. This is a little-known, low elevation species from Guangxi, China.
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We’re just wrapping up the flowering of the “starfish” group of cast iron plant species. While none are reliably winter hardy in the ground here in Zone 7b/8a, they make amazing house plants. The first and second are Aspidistra pulchella, and the final two images are Aspidistra radiata. The giant upright purple flower buds on
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