Aspidistra Elatior – Cast Iron Plant
October 27, 2009
There are a handful of reasons that any given plant will end up in my home:
1) I buy it
2) It’s given to me as a gift on a special occasion
3) I visit someone and they give me a plant to take home
Most of the plants that end up in my home fall within option one. Since I’m at one garden center or another at least a couple of times a month, it’s inevitable that I’ll run across something I like sooner or later. Actually, if I wasn’t so selective about what I want to grow, all those visits to garden centers would have filled my house way beyond capacity. I’ve no doubt that my family is grateful for my finicky nature since one of them would have to move out otherwise.
Option two rarely ever happens, although it’s great when it does. On one of my birthdays a few years ago, a friend presented me with a Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis). She knew that I’d never grown an Orchid, and remembered how I’d ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhed’ over the ones growing happily in her home. So she bought me one, which was really nice. And I promptly killed it, which was not nice at all. But it was my first experience with an Orchid, so I think I can be forgiven. And just for the record, I bought myself another Phalaenopsis a few months later and it did extremely well for a very long time. Yes, that one’s not with me anymore either, but I didn’t kill it; I gave it away because I was moving and couldn’t take all my plants with me. Not that I was very heartbroken about it; it wasn’t in bloom at the time, so I wasn’t that interested in it anymore.
Anyway.
The third option, amazingly enough, has happened more often than the second one, although nowhere near the first. I’d like to say that a lot of people I know give me cuttings, offshoots and entire plants to take home with me when I visit them, because they really like me or because they feel that I’m the only chance one of their ailing plants has or because they consider me some type of plant guru and feel so honoured by my presence in their humble botanical world that they want to grant me a gift, like a plant. But I would be lying. The truth is there’s only one person who has made option three statistically higher than option two. And that’s my mother. She doesn’t think I’m a plant guru and she certainly doesn’t need me to save one of her plants when her thumb is much greener than mine. She gives me plants for only one reason: she loves me. Okay, everybody all together now: “Aw...”
She’s given me offshoots and cuttings from a few common plants such as Aglaonema, Christmas Cactus, Hibiscus and Spider Plant. And that’s all very nice. But the best thing I ever received from her is an offshoot from her Aspidistra, which is the only way I was able to get this plant since it’s so difficult to find locally. In fact, in all my plant growing years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen one available in any local business that sells plants. I suppose at some point a shipment of Aspidistras may have surfaced somewhere, but I’ve personally never seen them.
I have no idea how my mother acquired her Aspidistra, although I should ask, but it’s one of the most beautiful plants she has growing in her living room - and one of the oldest (next to the twenty-something-year-old Aglaonema). At about four feet tall, it graces her home with its dark green, corn-like leaves.
I’ve been meaning to write a profile on this lovely plant for a very long time. I’m finally doing it.
Here’s some care info for all my readers.
Caring for A Cast Iron Plant
If you’re searching for a plant that will put up with almost anything, look no further than the Aspidistra elatior, an attractive plant with long, shiny, dark green leaves that goes by the common name of ‘Cast Iron Plant’. This robust plant, originally from China, is one of the best options for individuals that are new to houseplants, but, unfortunately, it’s not readily available at local greenhouses, which is really a shame.
One of the most appealing qualities of this indoor plant is its ability to survive in some of the most dimly-lit areas of your home. I can honestly say that Aspidistra elatior does not need any exposure to direct sun. In fact, although it will withstand some sunlight, too much will leave it looking bleached and stressed. This is the perfect plant for that northern location in need of some greenery. Low to medium light is recommended, with medium light being the better choice. When grown in extremely low light areas, the Aspidistra elatior, already very slow-growing, will barely put out any new growth, and it won’t look as healthy.
As impressively tolerant as A. elatior is, there is one thing that it doesn’t handle very well: over-watering. If nothing else will kill it, this will. Use a fast-draining, porous medium and do not water until it is fairly dry. When it is time to water, don’t give tiny sips; drench the soil until water comes out of the bottom. Giving plants measly sips of water can cause large dry pockets in the soil, which can keep the root system from getting a drink at all. Be especially careful during the colder months of the year when root rot is most likely to occur. Reduce watering during this period; allow the medium to dry out almost completely.
This is a terrific candidate for hydroculture; consider growing it in the soilless medium, which will eliminate the water juggling act. A. elatior converts quite easily with very few visible signs of stress. The first glimpse of water roots can begin as early as two weeks or as late as one month. If it takes longer than that, don’t worry; new roots will eventually emerge.
Another wonderful thing about Aspidistra elatior is that it doesn’t make much of a fuss about dry air. However, I find that this plant is much happier when there is more moisture in the air. Humidity that is too low can lead to brown leaf tips and spider mite infestations. So, increase humidity to keep the plant healthy and to deter pests from attacking. In addition, wash the leaves from time to time to remove dust and help prevent infestations.
Aspidistra elatior will do fine in average household temperatures, but, surprisingly enough, it prefers it cool. It can handle temperatures down to 7ºC (45ºF), although I wouldn’t recommend exposing it to levels that low for very long. The best temperature range is between 16°C (60°F) – 21°C (70°F), with slightly cooler levels at night. But if you can’t provide cooler temperatures, no problem; just make sure to keep your plant away from heat sources and that you circulate the air to keep it fresh.
That’s all there is to caring for this highly-tolerant houseplant. Although it is able to handle just about anything you throw at it, it is difficult to find. If you do manage to stumble across one, consider picking one up. It may be a long time before you ever see another one.
Photos provided by: Wikipedia
(My own Aspidistra has been cut down and restarted)
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