Characteristics
| Hardiness zone | 8b |
|---|---|
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | upright spreading |
| Mature height | 24 inches |
| Spread | 3 feet |
| Light requirements | partial shade to shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | import |
Cast Iron Plant
Botanical name: Aspidistra elatior
This variety is as tough as its name implies; dark green blade like foliage forms in rosettes and masses to make an excellent deep shade groundcover or container accent; a very tolerant plant that is easy to grow and maintain; a perfect house plant.
Other names: Bar Room Plant
Ornamental Features
Cast Iron Plant's attractive sword-like leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year. Neither the flowers nor the fruit are ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Cast Iron Plant is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should not require much pruning, except when necessary, such as to remove dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Cast Iron Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Planting and Growing
Cast Iron Plant will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.
This plant does best in partial shade to shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This species is not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division.
Cast Iron Plant is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
