Slowly is a key word, but once it fills in, it is a true workhorse. At my San Antonio house, I could always count on it to look good year round and now at my eastern NC house, I use them in tall planters by the front door. Great plant.
Zone 8b in San Antonio Texas and mine are absolutely thriving in a fully shaded area that is very moist all the time. I even got flowers this year! They are 3yrs old.
Please plant this in the Shade!!!....They Do Not like sun...I see them all burned from people who foolishly do not find out where a plant likes to be planted...These are beautiful plants for inside the house too in a pot...If you have a low light room these are perfect for that. I have these all around the house and they are Beautiful tough plants. Thanks for showing these!
Jim my mom lives in 7b SW Oklahoma. She has had cast iron plants for years along the north side of her house. She said she had it as a house plant and the grandkids broke the pot so she planted it to see what it would do. Well over 30 years it has spread all along her north bed up against the house. It's hard for her to find plants that do well there. It's shade all the time and SW Oklahoma is pretty dry. Great choice for some one in the SW that needs a understory plant that's tough as nails and loves shade. Listen to Jim he knows what he's talking about and is not trying to sell you something!!!!! PS it only gets about a foot tall there but looks great.
Great video Jim! Although I have to say I have been growing cast-iron plants in zone 6A on North and East foundations and they do just fine as long as they’re planted in enough shade, and protected from wind. I’ve noticed that they take a year or two to fully harden to 6a winters though. I shovel snow on top of them and they don’t seem to mind one bit. The green ones definitely do seem to be tougher than the white variegated ones, but the white variegated ones I have can take part sun.
Hi Jim! I'm in Dallas, Texas 8a and thought for sure my cast iron plants were goners during the "Nordic" blast a year ago. All of the foliage died back and I just waited to see if anything would happen. They all rebounded with vigor. I suspect we dropped to low 5a temps. and the Cast Iron plants were established for a number of years.
Great video & Very informative. One issue not addressed that I'm having is with my 15 year old Aspidistra kept as a houseplant. The new leaves are small, very small. Some don't even have stems, they just come right out of the soil. Any ideas would be very welcome.
I see many plantings of Aspidistra that look terrible. The primary reasons are 1) that they have been planted in full sun or 2) the old leaves are never removed. The leaves can last about three years but they look ratty by the start of the second. I remove most of the leaves in the spring.
This might work for an area along my garage. They would be between the garage and my path to the backyard so I’m not sure if they encroach on my walking space. It’s dry shade but does get direct sun just for small chucks of the late day. However, there are two large oaks in front so they’d get more sun during the winter. Will that be an issue?
Expensive to buy in garden store. I live in 8b and they are protected next to my house. The freeze in texas this year which was short froze leaves and i am sure it didn’t kill the roots. I wonder when i can cut those leaves back
Why are they so darn expensive? I have a variegated one that I just recently purchased and had shipped from Hawaii. I also have a green one. I’m looking to add other varieties to my collection, while I can’t plant them outside they do make a nice foolproof indoor plant for me. 🌧💚🙃
Will cast iron plant do okay in deciduous shade? I'm in zone 8 and have a wooded area of oak trees that gets sun in winter, but is fully shaded in summer.
Slowly is a key word, but once it fills in, it is a true workhorse. At my San Antonio house, I could always count on it to look good year round and now at my eastern NC house, I use them in tall planters by the front door. Great plant.
Thank you for your videos BTW You have a wonderful positive speaking voice which brings confidence to a novice gardener.TY
Zone 8b in San Antonio Texas and mine are absolutely thriving in a fully shaded area that is very moist all the time. I even got flowers this year! They are 3yrs old.
Please plant this in the Shade!!!....They Do Not like sun...I see them all burned from people who foolishly do not find out where a plant likes to be planted...These are beautiful plants for inside the house too in a pot...If you have a low light room these are perfect for that. I have these all around the house and they are Beautiful tough plants. Thanks for showing these!
Love this plant. Need to add to my garden. I have not seen this at local nurseries in zone 7 East TN
Thank you, Jim--really looking forward to the future video on variegated Cast Iron plants! 😊
Jim my mom lives in 7b SW Oklahoma. She has had cast iron plants for years along the north side of her house. She said she had it as a house plant and the grandkids broke the pot so she planted it to see what it would do. Well over 30 years it has spread all along her north bed up against the house. It's hard for her to find plants that do well there. It's shade all the time and SW Oklahoma is pretty dry. Great choice for some one in the SW that needs a understory plant that's tough as nails and loves shade. Listen to Jim he knows what he's talking about and is not trying to sell you something!!!!! PS it only gets about a foot tall there but looks great.
Beautiful story, thank you!!!
Great video Jim! Although I have to say I have been growing cast-iron plants in zone 6A on North and East foundations and they do just fine as long as they’re planted in enough shade, and protected from wind. I’ve noticed that they take a year or two to fully harden to 6a winters though. I shovel snow on top of them and they don’t seem to mind one bit. The green ones definitely do seem to be tougher than the white variegated ones, but the white variegated ones I have can take part sun.
Hi Jim. I planted tiny qrt sizes last Spring. It’s amazing how large they get in a short time. They are evergreens for me also in zone 7.
Hi Jim! I'm in Dallas, Texas 8a and thought for sure my cast iron plants were goners during the "Nordic" blast a year ago. All of the foliage died back and I just waited to see if anything would happen. They all rebounded with vigor. I suspect we dropped to low 5a temps. and the Cast Iron plants were established for a number of years.
Love these reviews! gives me great ideas for my landscape. Thanks!
I've seen them in Italy, in front of a gelateria, in bright full sunlight. The leaves had adjusted themselves to a light green.
Great video Jim! I just brought some ‘moon & stars’ variety to my nursery here in Aiken,SC. 👍👍
I can use this here (I have a spot-WOW!). I will be looking out for this plant 😊
Great video & Very informative. One issue not addressed that I'm having is with my 15 year old Aspidistra kept as a houseplant. The new leaves are small, very small. Some don't even have stems, they just come right out of the soil. Any ideas would be very welcome.
I see many plantings of Aspidistra that look terrible. The primary reasons are 1) that they have been planted in full sun or 2) the old leaves are never removed. The leaves can last about three years but they look ratty by the start of the second. I remove most of the leaves in the spring.
This might work for an area along my garage. They would be between the garage and my path to the backyard so I’m not sure if they encroach on my walking space. It’s dry shade but does get direct sun just for small chucks of the late day. However, there are two large oaks in front so they’d get more sun during the winter. Will that be an issue?
Expensive to buy in garden store. I live in 8b and they are protected next to my house. The freeze in texas this year which was short froze leaves and i am sure it didn’t kill the roots. I wonder when i can cut those leaves back
Why are they so darn expensive? I have a variegated one that I just recently purchased and had shipped from Hawaii. I also have a green one. I’m looking to add other varieties to my collection, while I can’t plant them outside they do make a nice foolproof indoor plant for me. 🌧💚🙃
Most plants that grow slowly are gonna be expensive because it takes longer to turn “finish” rooting them and growing them out.
Probably expensive because, like Jim said, they are slow growing. And I think they're usually propagated by division.
Aspidistra elatior, Native to : Japan,
Will cast iron plant do okay in deciduous shade? I'm in zone 8 and have a wooded area of oak trees that gets sun in winter, but is fully shaded in summer.
I think it should be fine. Brie Arthur has some planted under her edgeworthia (and I just did this last year).
I miss Cast Iron plants. We had them in South Carolina. Do you know if they would do well in the alkaline soil that we have here in Texas?
I gonna try here in North Dallas … add some soil this pass Fall Season (trucked in). I have a spot for 4 of them.
@@donnajoy6951 they do fine here in Dallas, I have a few different varieties.
I loved my cast iron plants in central texas. (Temple/Belton/Killeen.) They loved the dry shaded areas in my backyard. (Under the live oaks.)
@@terrimainey4656 I’m in San Antonio and under the live oaks is exactly where I was hoping to put them! Thanks very much for your response.
@@shawnfox7393what is your garden center for shopping for plants?
Is this also known as ‘Mother-in-Law’s Tongue’ plant? Sanseveria?
No, they are different. Cast iron plant are Apidistra Elatior, and Sanseveria are Dracaena Trifasciata.
No, it is not.
Monrovia Cast Iron Plants Fact Tags are Saying Hardiness USDA plant Zone 6.
They are rare and expensive 🫤🫤🫤😞😞😞
Probably not good for the north side of the house.