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Arum
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Sun to Light Shade Zone: 7b-9, at least 12" tall Origin: Crete, Turkey
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Arum creticum is one of the most highly prized members of the genus Arum but one that is always in short supply. We are particularly pleased to offer the more winter hardy FCC (First Class Certificate) form. Hailing from rocky mountainsides from 750' all the way to 4,700' on the island of Crete and adjacent Turkey, you'll find the green spade-like leaves sprouting early in autumn. In very early spring (late March - early April in NC), the small clumps are adorned with reflexed, large, creamy yellow spathes each holding a mustard-yellow spadix, and producing a surprising aroma of lemon. Don't miss this rare opportunity! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #07475
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Part SunZone: 7-9, at least 15" tall Origin: Crete alternate image
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On the island of Crete, an unauthorized horticultural liaison took place between the primarily Libyan Arum cyrenaicum and the mostly Turkish Arum concinnatum. The result is a stunning plant with black petioles, and slightly silver-veined, dark green, arrow-shaped leaves...occasionally highlighted with random dark black spots. The late-May borne 1' tall inflorescences of translucent pink appear just as the foliage begins to go dormant for the summer. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08038
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Sun to Part SunZone: 6-9, at least 12" tall Origin: Cypress, Turkey
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If you're into swinging plants, disco arum is for you. This easy-to-grow species hails from Cypress and Turkey, where it comes alive in October with upright spade-shaped leaves. The leaves remain evergreen all winter but may get burned back in very cold spells. In late spring, the clumps are adorned with stunning spathe and spadix flowers. The dramatic purple-blotched spathe holds the purple and yellow-blotched spadix (not a social disease). Peter Boyce, author of The Genus Arum, described the floral fragrance as "a mixture of dung and rotting flesh." We'll have to trust Peter since we haven't so indulged. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06340
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Part SunZone: 6-8, at least 12" tall Origin: Cyprus alternate image
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This form of the wide-ranging Arum dioscoridis hails from the small, but tall island of Cyprus, just south of everyone's favorite Thanksgiving meal. Arum dioscoridis var. cyprium emerges in fall forming a clump of large, dark green spade-shaped leaves. In late April as the leaves prepare to go dormant, the clumps are topped with amazing spathe and spadix inflorescences on short stalks. The spathes (the sail-like part of the floral structure) are creamy yellow, highlighted by dark purple staining at the base, changing to large dark purple spots toward the center. The floral smell is a bit unpleasant for a few hours, but then so is a colonoscopy...still worthwhile! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08076
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Part SunZone: 8-10, at least 24" tall Origin: Syria, Lebanon, Israel
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This native to Israel, Cyprus, and the Syrian-Lebanon border emerges from its summer dormancy in fall with narrow, upright, 2' tall, light green, winter-growing leaves. Despite rumors that it needs frost-free conditions to survive, our plants are adorned, starting in March, with lovely pale green spathes, edged in purple and highlighted by a poorly-endowed, dark purple spadix (male organ). In mild winters, it often tries to flower in late January, but cold knocks back the early flowers. In the wild, Arum hygrophilum can be found by moist streambanks and in wet seeps where it grows taller...for us, evenly moist garden soil has been perfect. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08612
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Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 4-9 12" tall Origin: Europe
In late summer, the tropical-looking aroid foliage emerges from dormancy to remain attractive all winter. Each glossy green, arrowhead-shaped leaf features dramatic silver patterning, usually following the veins. In late spring, 12" white peace lily-like flowers appear, followed by an attractive stalk of red berries. At this point, the plant goes to sleep for the summer, emerging again in late August. Italian arum will naturalize in woodland areas unless a horticultural circumcision is performed after flowering, albeit a slow process...I wouldn't garden without it! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #00765
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Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 6-8, at least 10" tall Origin: Balkans
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This Balkan native, found in rocky hillside pockets of soil, has been an outstanding performer in our garden and is certainly one of our favorites...of course, we say that to all the arums. The 10" tall, dark, glossy green leaves form a small compact clump all winter that is highlighted in late April - early May (NC) with dramatic dark purple flowers. Peter Boyce in The Genus Arum describes the flower as having "a penetrating stench of horse-dung! However the smell, for an otherwise short duration, is a small price to pay for an otherwise first-rate garden plant." Oh, those English gardeners and their wicked sense of humor. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08567
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Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10, at least 15" tall Origin: Syria, Lebanon, Israel
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This Palestinian native is one of our favorite arums that has thrived in our garden for more than two decades, despite effort by the Arum palaestinum Liberation Organization (APLO) to extricate it. During the fall, dark green, trowel-shaped foliage emerges from the tuber to form a nice clump of foliage that remains up during the winter. In late April the bizarre, purple black, tail-like sex appendage (spadix) emerges from within a wicked looking shell-like spathe. The smell resembles rotting fruit... not that I'm an expert on odors. A. palaestinum prefers a dry site in the winter with good drainage. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #02379
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Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 7b-9, at least 10" tall Origin: Mediterranean Europe
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We are very pleased to offer this rare arum species, not to be confused with Arum italicum 'Pictum'. Arum pictum is from the Mediterranean islands and is the only Arum species to flower in the fall. The marvelous black-purple spathe and spadix emerge in September alongside the emerging glossy green foliage. I'd grow this species for the leaves alone, which emerge bordered with a lovely purple cast. Often in late spring, the leaves develop silver veins, but this varies with individual clones. The stunning flowers, both in their macabre beauty and memorable fragrance (like running over a skunk), are delightful additions. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #05573
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Arundo
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Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-9, at least 84" tall Origin: Mediterranean Europe alternate image
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This beautiful new UK selection of the giant reed grass adds a new twist to a great deer resistant garden plant. Arundo 'Golden Chain' was named in the mid-1990's by Liam Mackenzie of the UK's Madrona Nursery as a tissue culture mutation from Arundo donax 'Versicolor'. Arundo 'Golden Chain' forms a clump of 7' tall upright stalks of medium green leaves edged in gold. The color holds all season, unlike the larger and more common Arundo donax 'Versicolor'. Arundo 'Golden Chain' is also a much smaller and less vigorous plant, making propagation more of a chore, but keeping it in scale with smaller gardens. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06671
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SunZone: 6-9, at least 144" tall Origin: Mediterranean Europe
This wonderful deer-resistant grass, native to Mediterranean freshwater wetlands, has long been a favorite of gardeners. The only drawback was the fading of the leaf variegation in warm weather. Arundo 'Peppermint Stick', imported from the Shanghai Botanic Garden by plantsman Greg Speichert, solves that, with striped leaves just as vivid in summer as in spring. Arundo 'Peppermint Stick' forms sturdy 12' tall canes, adorned with wide green-and-white striped leaves. In the fall, the clumps are topped with 18" tall bronze-colored plumes. Arundo may get too large for small gardens, but it is NOT an invasive plant (displacing natives in functioning ecosystems) as I read in some eco-Nazi literature. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06677
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Asarum
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Light Shade to ShadeZone: 7b-9 6" tall Origin: China alternate image
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We are thrilled to present a US selection of the famed Panda-face ginger. Asarum 'Ling Ling' makes a stunning clump of large, glossy, rich-green, heart-shaped foliage highlighted by two silvery-green blotches on either side of the central stripe. In late spring, the deer-resistant clumps are adorned by clusters of 2" round, velvety black flowers, each highlighted by a wide white band around the center. This easy-to-grow wild ginger is truly a showstopper in the garden or in a container for the sun room. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04564
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Light Shade to ShadeZone: 5b-9 6" tall Origin: Japan
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From Japan comes this virtually impossible-to-find evergreen ginger that is now extinct in the wild. The pointed heart-shaped leaves are patterned with distinctive silver markings...but wait until you see the cool flowers in April/May...dark purple, edged in white with three very long mouse-like tails to 4"...a true collector's item! Once established, dry shade is perfect. These are only available in very limited quantities. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #01852
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Light Shade to ShadeZone: 5-9 10" tall Origin: USA alternate image
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We are pleased to once again offer the rare, but easy-to-grow, evergreen, native ginger from our neighbors to the south in Alabama, where it occurs in only two counties. This selection was made by Bob McCartney of Woodlanders Nursery as being particularly nice in foliage and flower. The large, arrowhead-shaped, 6" leaves of green are marbled with muted silver patterns. In late spring, the base of the deer-resistant clump is adorned with giant silver dollar-sized flowers that look like bloodshot owl eyes awakening after a three day drunk...get the picture? This clonal selection has been propagated by tissue culture to assure uniformity. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #03566
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Light Shade to ShadeZone: 6-9 6" tall Origin: China
Splendid indeed! This vigorous and superbly easy-to-grow Chinese ginger makes a great groundcover for the woodland garden. The large, dark green, deer-resistant leaves (evergreen to 10 degrees F) are heavily adorned with silvery mottling throughout. A. splendens is a vigorously rhizomatous species. In early spring, you will also love this one for the large 2" flowers of dark purple...one of the finest members of the ginger family. Our original stock came from China, via both Jim Waddick and Barry Yinger. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #00720
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Asclepias
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SunZone: 3-9 50" tall Origin: USA
NEW!
Native to all but the six most western US states, Asclepias incarnata makes a stunning 50" tall stalk, topped in summer with branched terminal heads of mauvy-pink flowers. Asclepias incarnata prefers moist to soggy soils, but fares well in typical garden soils, in all but very extended droughts. A regular renaissance plant, Asclepias incarnata lasts well in a vase as well as being a Monarch butterfly indulgence...hopefully not at the same time. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #00388
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Asimina
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Part Sun to Light ShadeZone: 8-10, at least 24" tall Origin: USA
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I remember meeting this dwarf pawpaw, first at Woodlanders in South Carolina, then finally in 2007 in the wilds of north Florida, thanks to plantsman Dick Weaver. This amazing dwarf 2' tall x 2' wide shrub is clothed with long, narrow green leaves, and adorned in May with large white magnolia-like flowers, each highlighted with a purple stained center...greatly oversized for the plant. Being native to dry sandy soils of north Florida, south Georgia, and a few counties in Alabama, Asimina angustifolia should be planted in very well drained soils. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08166
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Asparagus
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SunZone: 7b-9, at least 48" tall Origin: S. Africa
We have grown this splendid South African native asparagus fern in the garden since 2000, and would have shared it by now if it wasn't for the paucity of seed production. The thin upright stalks emerge as a 1' wide clump, producing very stiff dark green "fronds" that fill a 4' tall x 4' wide space. The stems are so durable that the plant acts like a punching bag that bounces back to an upright position if the plant is punched, kicked, or hit with an errant small vehicle (all of which are illegal in some states with asparagus hate crime statutes). A. africanus makes a superb textural contrast against bold foliage plants. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08128
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SunZone: 5-9, at least 84" tall Origin: China, Korea
Our form of Asparagus cochinchinensis comes from Korea's Chuwang Mountain where it grows on very dry rocky cliffs. The 7' long twining deciduous stalks are clothed with soft, fleshy, dark green foliage and adorned with tiny white flowers in mid-May (NC). We have found this to be a wonderful textural element in the garden, best when planted where, like an inebriated partygoer, it can lean on a sturdy friend. The tubers of A. cochinchinensis have been used in Chinese medicine for lung and kidney cleansing, and to treat chest pain, cough, bloody phlegm and dry stools...I'm not making this up.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06756
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SunZone: 7-8, at least 48" tall Origin: S. Africa
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(aka: Asparagus denudatus A1SA-124) I nearly jumped out of the van when I first saw this cool asparagus fern near the town of Rhodes at the southern end of South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains. I returned home to delightedly find I had already overwintered a small plant in the garden. The species name, "denudatus," is nothing more than a fancy Latin word for "nekkid." The upright, glaucous-green, stiff, wiry stems sans leaves compose this 4' deciduous clumper. The glaucous-blue foliage color doesn't show up until the second growing season. In fall, the clumps are adorned with small red berries. Asparagus denudatus makes a stunning textural combination plant that has immeasurable possibilities in the garden. I love this plant! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #06498
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Sun to Part SunZone: 4-9 48" tall Origin: Yugoslavia
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I first saw this in Pamela Harper's garden, used as a striking accent with delicate lacy green clouds of see-through foliage...what a wonderful textural element! The 4' tall x 2' wide mound of foliage lasts into early fall, when it changes to yellow with the addition of an abundant crop of red berries. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #00825
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SunZone: 7b-10, possibly colder 96" tall Origin: S. Africa
We are thrilled to offer our winter hardy selection of the popular houseplant, Asparagus setaceus. This form hails from near Cathcart in South Africa's Eastern Cape at 4,773' elevation, where it grows in dry rocky fields. For us, it has made a wonderful vigorous specimen against a board-on-board fence. A. setaceus is composed of 8' long twining stems, adorned with soft, but bristly dark green foliage and tiny white flowers in spring. In fall, the deciduous plants are covered with tiny red fruit. So far, this has been through 7 degrees F with no adverse affects.
Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #08648
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SunZone: 3-8a 180" tall Origin: Russia
Imagine an asparagus that behaves like a twining vine to 15' tall, has glossy green foliage covered in fragrant white flowers in late spring, and is smothered with 1/2" bright red berries in late summer. Did I mention it's hardy to Zone 3? Would you believe it? Well, it's true, and we are pleased to be able to share one of the most bizarre plants we have encountered. The original seed came from the old DeGiorgio Seed Company via Harlan Hamernik, who also adores this plant in his garden in Nebraska. The foliage stays green into the mid 20s F, serving as a perfect foil for the red berries. Any sturdy trellis, old junked pickup, or stationary highway worker is perfect for support...stand back and watch it grow. Fruiting should take about 3 years from potted plants...very cool! Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04747
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Sun to Part SunZone: 7b-10, possibly colder 36" tall Origin: S. Africa alternate image
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This South African broom fern really swept me off my feet with its garden performance. Asparagus virgatus is a wonderful winter-hardy garden addition where an airy texture in sun is needed. The 3' tall upright spikes open into a soft, thread-like, green "broom." Each 2' wide drought-tolerant clump can be used for a textural contrast in the garden, for a long-lasting filler in floral arrangements, or to treat syphilis and intestinal worms. You gotta love those multi-use plants. In September, the foliage is adorned with a multitude (catalog lingo for more than one) of small red berries. Pot size: 24 fl. oz (709.77 ml) #04033
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| <Arisaema] | [Aspidistra> |
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