Wednesday, June 18, 2008

An Easy Woodlander to Grow From Seed


Pinellia tripartita is a really easy-to-grow woodlander with the great common name of Green Dragon. I started this from seed attained from Gardens North outside of Ottawa. Five plants germinated - three made it through - and now it looks as if they may be self seeding which is just fine with me - nothing like being able to share something a little unusual with friends. It grows about 30 cm (around a foot) high and as you can see blends well with Hosta. Unlike many other woodland plants that emerge just as soon as the ice is out of the soil, Pinellia is very late - in fact it doesn't appear until most of the hosta leaves have unfurled - so it is really important that you mark where they are. Several times I've thought I had an empty spot (banish the thought!) and began to dig away when I remembered that this little patch of soil was indeed taken.

1 comment:

Barry said...

I love this diminutive plant.... and remember when one of my nephews came running in to say that there were miniature cobra heads sticking up everywhere. Its refreshing to see another blog from in the area where I garden... I am in Fergus, Ontario