Aspidistra, cast iron plants

[Alberto]

Chris.
No at all.

Alberto

[Carlo]

Nearly all those I've seen in flower (I do not grow any at the moment) had flowers at or nearly below ground level. You have to look to see them--and then you'll notice them more often...

[ChrisB]

Alberto - that's amazing.  When I split up my plant I shall try some outside in a pot first to see how they do.  My soil is vey dry, and there are precious few things that like dry shade, especially variegated ones, so if it works there, I will be very pleased, and if it keeps its foliage all year round, what a find it will be!

[Alberto]

Chris, Aspidistra are not for dry places...not in summer!

Alberto

[ChrisB]

Hi Alberto,

Our summers are seldom as hot or as dry as yours though, usually some moisture in the ground.  In the house I only water them when they dry right out, and even then, only a little.

[Alberto]

Chris, you are right. Here last summer we experienced 41°C with less than 50% humidity and no rain for 3 months

Ciao
Alberto

[shelagh]

Just 2 comments to make about Aspidistra's, firstly I don't think you can kill them, we had one in a plastic pot and when 'it' decided it needed repotting it just burst/split it's old pot.  Secondly no-one has yet mentioned what pollinates them, I have an idea/memory lurking in the back of my mind that it is slugs.  Can anyone confirm this?

[ChrisB]

Someone else told me that yesterday, Shelagh, so its probably true. Makes sense given where it flowers, and may also be why the flowers are so leathery in texture.  Must watch for these flowers on mine that's for sure.

[Hans J]

Hi ,

I have found this ( with help of google ) by Wikipedia :

"It has long been erroneously assumed that slugs and snails pollinate Aspidistra flowers. Research in Japan has shown that tiny terrestrial crustaceans called amphipods are responsible for pollinating Aspidistra elatior. Australian amphipods have also been shown to pollinate introduced Aspidistra sp. and collembolans may also be implicated. Fungus gnats have also been suggested as possible pollinators."

greetings
Hans

[Maggi Young]

amphipods = crustaceans such as sand fleas

collembolans = hexapods, like  springtails    ....... or so another trip to Wikipedia tells me!

[Hans J]

  Maggi ;

Do you agree with me :
If you have fruits on your Aspidistra so you must have a lot of this nice animals in your living room

Should this be the reason that some people grow this plants outside

.....only some minds 

[Maggi Young]

Hans, I am happy to tell you that while I had lots of flowers, I never had any fruits... so luckily I seem NOT to have such creatures in my home.... at least.... not that I know of!

[ChrisB]

I've learned more about aspidistras this week than I ever thought possible.... what a place this is!

[Hans J]

Maggi  

that is the clear evidence  

Ian should give you a lot of Toblerone .....
mmmh -but we never get any seeds

[Maggi Young]

I've learned more about aspidistras this week than I ever thought possible....

Chris, reading the Bulb Log over the next few weeks will give you that feeling about Erythronium!


Hans, surely Toblerone are grown from cultures, not seeds?