An unapologetic plant geek shares advice and opinions on gardening, the contrived and the natural landscape, as well as occasional topics from the other side of the gate.

March 12, 2013

Still Life with Asarum

I was able to spend both days this past weekend working in enjoying my garden and getting it ready for spring. While down on my knees pulling out fallen leaves, I noticed the Asarum splendens was in bloom, and on one's knees is the only way to see them. Hidden below the foliage, their bizarre waxy flowers seem to be something pushed out from the underworld.  I am assuming ants or beetles must be the pollinators, or perhaps the dark lord himself.

Asaum splendens

Asaum splendens 4

The plant's common name is Chinese wild ginger, and I bought it not for the flowers, but for its splendid dark green, mottled with silver, foliage.  Only getting about 6" high, A. splendens acts as a groundcover in shady areas, and in my climate it remains evergreen. It is hardy in zones (5)6 to 9, spreads quickly and is very easy to grow, but during times of drought you will want to throw a little extra water on it.



(BTW, it is not too late to enter this year's Winter Walk-Off.  I am taking entries until midnight March 19th.)

16 comments:

  1. So far I have not had any luck with A. splendens but have a small patch of A. shuttleworthii 'Callaway'. Smaller leaves but nice variegation and so far has proven to be tough as nails.

    I've been looking forward to taking a shot at the Winter Walk-Off. Walking routes are still under consideration. Guess I'd better get off my butt and make a decision :).

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    1. I should probably grow more natives like A. shuttleworthii, but I really was taken with this foliage.

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  2. That does look like an underworld bloom! Thanks for hosting the winter walk off.

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  3. What a fascinating plant. It reminds me of carnivorous Pitcher Plant, found in our local bogs.

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    1. The color kind of reminds me more of meat than flowers.

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  4. I have A canadensis, the flowers are odd but do not compare to splendens.

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    1. I have seen in catalogs Asarums with even more striking colors.

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  5. That first image is pretty exceptional for any venue, much less a garden...

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    1. I plucked a few and put them on some coral I found this summer in Florida, the skull was a find along the James River.

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  6. What splendidly weird flowers - like the skull... I have been thinking about getting some asarum for groundcover in my garden, I like the silver splashes on those leaves.

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  7. I am not sure what kind of skull that is, but I can recommend this plant.

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  8. Oh, how wild. I had no idea this plant even bloomed. Interesting. I have this plant, but it is in a container now. I didn't research prior to purchasing this plant and I didn't realize it was a groundcover. I thought it was more "hosta" like, staying in a clump. Well after a couple years it started taking over and that's when I realized it was a groundover. I too love the foliage so I wouldn't care if it ever bloomed; just wish I could find a place in my garden where it could spread but only to areas I want it to spread (instead of coming up between the flagstone in my walkway). For the time being it will remain contained in a container on my front porch. I wonder if it will bloom in the container. At least now I will know what to look for (instead of thinking it's some kind of fungus amongus!!

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  9. I've had this planted in two places for about a dozen years -- oddly enough I bought it at the mega-retailer that begins with a W, yet it is hardly ever sold at nurseries around here (south central VA). One of the two plants gets a fair amount of sun and the flowers are more apparent on it; need to check the other one in the shade more closely. I love it too and actually am grateful for errant clumps as there are many other places in my yard it would look good.

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