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Spek-tacular Cast Iron Plant
Aspidistra sichuanensis 'Spek-tacular'
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7b-10b Find Your Zone
Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7b, where Spek-tacular Cast Iron Plant is not reliably winter hardy, you'll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.
Special Attributes
One tough evergreen perennial plant that lives up to its name, the 'Spek-tacular' Cast Iron Plant will practically grow in the dark, loves the heat, and isn't phased by arid and dry conditions. This makes it a perfect choice for planting in those difficult to fill areas in deep shade, even under large shade trees and decks. Lush, upward facing deep green leaves speckled with white to yellow spots form attractive clumps that provide bold texture and contrast in the shade garden. It can be grown as an evergreen perennial outdoors in zones 7b-10b and ranks right up there with snake plants and Philodendrons as being an almost indestructible houseplant.
Landscape & Garden Uses
Growing in upright clumps to about 3 feet tall and wide, the Spek-tacular Cast Iron Plant is ideal for use as an accent, in groupings or as a border in shady to partly shady garden beds, home foundation plantings and grows very well under the canopies of large shade trees, decks or any other full shade environment. Excellent as a solo or combined with other shade loving plants in container gardens and is an almost indestructible houseplant. A fine addition to the tropical-look garden, perennial shade gardens, cut flower gardens, cottage gardens and woodland and rock gardens.
Spacing: 18-24 inches apart for mass plantings or solid borders; 48 inches or more apart for space between plants
How To Measure Total Square Feet Of A Planting Area
How Many Plants Needed To Cover A Planting Area?
Cultural Preferences
Spek-tacular Cast Iron Plant thrives in dense shade to part shade and almost any well-drained soil with average fertility. Morning sun is okay however avoid exposing this plant to direct afternoon sunlight. When grown as a houseplant use a container with a drainage hole(s) and a light premium potting mix. When grown outdoors in pots use a premium potting soil or a 50/50 mix of potting soil and potting mix.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7b-10b Find Your Zone
Plant Type: Evergreen Perennial
Height at Maturity: 36" or so
Width at Maturity: 36" or so
Spacing: 18-24" for mass plantings; 48" or more for space between plants
Growth Habit / Form: Clumping, Dense, Upright, Vase/Fountain Shape
Growth Rate: Slow or Moderate
Flower Color: None
Flower Size: NA
Flowering Period: NA
Flower Type: NA
Fragrant Flowers: NA
Foliage Color: Deep Green speckled with White to Yellow
Fragrant Foliage: NA
Berries: NA
Berry Color: NA
Sun Needs: Full Shade to Part Shade (no afternoon sun)
Water Needs: Low when established
Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sand, Silt
Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well-drained moist to somewhat dry
Soil pH: 4.5 - 5.5 (Acid)
Maintenance / Care: Low
Attracts: Visual Attention
Resistances: Deer - more info, Disease, Drought, Dry Soil, Heat, Humidity, Insect, Rabbit, Deep Shade
Plant Long & Prosper!
