They call me the cast iron plant because I’m able to put up with real neglect. I’m originally from south east Asia, where I grow on the forest floor under the shade of larger trees and shrubs.
Aspidistra
I’m not toxic to people or pets
Each year I can absorb up to 500g of CO2
That's about enough to:
- Fill 1 football
- Drive a car for up to 1 mile
- Make 8 cups of tea
*rough estimate using data sourced from:
haskins.co.uk
cogo.zendesk.com
I love it humid, so make sure you give my leaves and stem a spritz of water once or twice a week during summer. You can reduce watering to every few weeks during the coldest winter months but central heating dries me out, so I’ll still be grateful for a weekly spray misting of water. I particularly like to stand in a saucer of water, because that's similar to my natural environment.
I’m originally found growing in warmer regions of South East Asia in warm, shady, humid conditions. Indoors, I’m at my most happy in a warm bright spot away from cold winds. I’ll be happy indoors all year round in a bright warm room. You can pop me outside all summer.
I’m not too fast growing here in the UK. Realistically, for most people, you can expect me to add maybe 5-to-10cm of height each year. Give me perfect conditions and I might reach 60cm tall and maybe 20cm wide.
I'm in my pomp during summer, and although I’m usually grown as a houseplant, I’ll be quite happy outside during summer. I won’t like being in full baking sun all day, so find a nice dappled shady spot for me. If you leave me outside and forget me, I’ll die back with the first frost. I’m not at all cold-hardy, so you should treat me as a houseplant, and if you want to add a touch of the tropics to your summer patio or balcony, I’ll be happy outside until maybe late October.