Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a hardy evergreen perennial that will add a beautiful texture to your shade garden. I have grown the Cast Iron Plant for many years in Texas and can't find anything I don't love about it.
Cast Iron Plant's common name came from its ability to survive despite adverse growing conditions. It thrives during long hot summers, is not damaged by cold winters, has no known disease or insect problems, grows in medium to deep shade, and can survive drought conditions.
The Cast Iron Plant has dark green leaves that sprout from thick roots and rhizomes. The leaves measure about 4 inches wide and 24 to 30 inches tall. It has inconspicuous purple-brown flowers that bloom close to the ground in the spring. Although it will grow in poor soil, Aspidistra performs best in porous soil enriched with organic matter. It also responds to feeding annually with an all-purpose fertilizer. To keep the plant looking its best, water it deeply during dry spells and cut unsightly leaves back to the ground. Aspidistra can be propagated in early spring by division.
Today everyone is searching for shade garden plants that will thrive in the Tyler area. The Cast Iron Plant can be found in many older, established shade gardens alongside azaleas, monkey grass and camellias. The tall, broad evergreen leaves look best planted in the background of a flower bed or perhaps as the middle layer of a bed with a large shrub background. Aspidistra plants can be found at most local nurseries. If you give Cast Iron Plant a chance, I know you won't be disappointed.
Kathy Moore, Smith County Master Gardener
Annual & Perennial Flowers Index
Gardening Tips for Northeast Texas Index
East Texas Piney Woods Gardening Home Page