UK gardening - aspidistra

Author

aspidistra

Neil Smith

2007-06-29, 1:25 pm

Dear All,
I have a 30 year aspadistra. It did not have a happy year last year what
with heat and insect attack. It has put up no new leave this year. Any
suggestions on how I can save it. Would splitting be useful and how would I
do this.
Thanks Neil

Pam Moore

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

On Fri, 29 Jun 2007 18:09:45 +0100, "Neil Smith"
<savispud2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:

>Dear All,
>I have a 30 year aspadistra. It did not have a happy year last year what
>with heat and insect attack. It has put up no new leave this year. Any
>suggestions on how I can save it. Would splitting be useful and how would I
>do this.
>Thanks Neil
>
Mine (only about 15 years old!) has been looking sad recently, in the
same place it's been in for ages. I decided to repot it, with some
good compost and am now crossing my fingers. I did notice some new
shoots around the edge so maybe some new leaves will come.
It might be worth you doing the same thing, if it has been in the same
pot and compost for some years.

Pam in Bristol

Bob Hobden

2007-06-29, 5:25 pm

"Neil Smith" wrote
> I have a 30 year aspadistra. It did not have a happy year last year what
> with heat and insect attack. It has put up no new leave this year. Any
> suggestions on how I can save it. Would splitting be useful and how would
> I do this.

We have one, well it's more than one now, that has been in Sue's family for
probably 150 years. I find if they are repotted into JI No.3 or even a
multipurpose they burst into life. Most of our one is now outside in our
garden where it is doing well planted in semi shade underneath trees, been
outside for some years now. Yet another large clump is in a neighbours
garden in a similar position.

--
Regards
Bob Hobden
17mls W. of London.UK

Dave Poole

2007-06-30, 9:25 am

Bob Hobden wrote:

> We have one, well it's more than one now, that has been in Sue's family for
> probably 150 years. I find if they are repotted into JI No.3 or even a
> multipurpose they burst into life. Most of our one is now outside in our
> garden where it is doing well planted in semi shade underneath trees, been
> outside for some years now. Yet another large clump is in a neighbours
> garden in a similar position.

For a 'pot plant', Aspidistra elatior makes a remarkably good garden
plant as well. I have a clump that must be 40 years old and has
followed me around since I was in my teens. It can tolerate a fair
degree of prolonged cold if grown in shade or semi-shade and grows far
better outside the confines of pots filled with degenerated, years-old
potting compost. In half decent garden soil it flourishes with a
degree of luxuriance rarely exhibited by those dusty, tired old things
indoors and can look quite magnificent if planted in association with
ferns such as the hardier maiden-hairs. The only drawback is that the
older leaves provide a perfect launchpad for snails while they await
the arrival of new leaves, which are then attacked with great
enthusiasm.

If Aspidistra is to remain indoors, the old compost should be gently
shaken from the roots and replaced with fresh every 3 - 4 years. The
root system is not extensive nor particularly delicate so you can
shake in the new compost with relative ease. A loam based compost
such as John Innes no 2 or 3, lightened with additional perlite or
coarse horticultural sand (incorporate about 10% by volume) is best.
Multi-purpose composts deteriorate very badly after several months and
are less than useless for long-lived plants. While it is true that
Aspidistras appear to grow in almost any old rubbish, that does not
mean you should abuse such tolerance. Give them decent treatment and
monthly applications of a well balanced liquid fertiliser and they
will produce plenty of large, glossy leaves every year.

Neil Smith

2007-06-30, 9:25 am

The plant fills a very large pot. How do you slpit it? There us no sign of
new growth.
Thanks for your advice
"Neil Smith" <savispud2000@yahoo.co.uk> wrote in message
news:46853cdd$0$5863$da0feed9@news.zen.co.uk...
> Dear All,
> I have a 30 year aspadistra. It did not have a happy year last year what
> with heat and insect attack. It has put up no new leave this year. Any
> suggestions on how I can save it. Would splitting be useful and how would
> I do this.
> Thanks Neil
>

Dave Poole

2007-06-30, 5:25 pm

Neil Smith wrote:

> The plant fills a very large pot. How do you slpit it? There us no sign of
> new growth.

Very, *very* easy Neil. Your plant consists of a network of thick,
rhizomes (horizontal, underground stems) from which the leaves arise
along their length. Just slice down through the plant, making sure
that each portion has plenty of rhizomes and roots. Pot them up and
that's it. If you wanted a lot of plants, you could shake all of the
old compost away and cut the rhizomes up into section with one or two
leaves each. Pot them up and in a couple of years you can start
selling them.

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