Recently, in Maolan national nature reserve, a primitive habitants of aspidistra was discovered while the scientific researchers investigating resource of Wild Fauna and Flora. Its discovery will provide reliable scientific basis for the research on foliage of Karst region. Nia has the report.
The primitive habitant of aspidistra was discovered in a forest of Maolan National Nature Reserve having an area of 0.5 square kilometers. With a such large area of habitant, this kind of aspidistra is dense and has the outstanding ecological character.
Aspidistra elatior
Like the live oak and the evergreen magnolia, Aspidistra elatior is closely associated with Southern landscapes. Yet, this tough understory species, appropriately called cast-iron plant and sometimes barroom plant, may even survive near-freezing temperatures where some protection is afforded.
You'll find aspidistra gracing fine gardens in Mobile, Ala., New Orleans and Charleston, S.C.; a plantation home would suffer ignominy without a planting of aspidistra along a garden walk or in the shade of a grove of stately old trees. Fact is, this dependable plant is hardly noticed, unless it's absent, maintaining a subtle residence where other choices would be all too obvious. Perhaps that's because it's prominently green, and stays that way year-round without interruption of distracting seasonal color or bright flowers (which are nearly procumbent, brownish and inconspicuous).
True to its tough reputation, aspidistra grows in the unlikeliest of places. It's equally at home in a darkened corner of the garden as prominently along a sidewalk, and it thrives indefinitely in poor soils, even surviving some drought.
Its popularity remains
Aspidistra's popularity is linked to its foliagelike appearance. It has glossy, straplike leaves that measure 1-2 1/2 feet long and 3-4 inches wide, each leaf blade supported by a 6- to 8-inch-long grooved leaf stalk. It truly resembles a tropical foliage plant and in fact is often found as a potted plant for interiorscaping.
Like most plants, aspidistra grows best in well-drained soils high in organic matter, and responds to frequent watering and spring and summer fertilization. Washing off the foliage keeps its leaves bright and deep green.
Several cultivars are available. 'Milky Way' has white spots on leaf surfaces, and 'Variegata' features alternate stripes of green and white in varying widths.
Aspidistra should be planted at 18-inch spacing as it spreads readily, its leaves arising from strong, persistent rhizomes.
In windy areas, leaves may get ragged, and grasshoppers appear occasionally. Foliage may get leaf-spot diseases.
Propagation is by division of old matted clumps.
SPECIFICS:
Name: Aspidistra elatior
Common name: Cast-iron plant, barroom plant.
Family: Liliaceae.
Description: Deep-green, straplike leaves grow up to 2 feet tall. Forms upright clumps of evergreen foliage. Survives in poor soils and low light.
Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zone 8; 7 or higher if protected.
Landscape uses: Low maintenance, excellent for borders, as a porch plant, or as a tall
groundcover. Said to be moderately salt tolerant. Excellent for shady areas of the garden; direct sunlight will burn leaves.
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