Asarum

[johnw]

This Asarum was in many Long Island gardens. The leaves are matte lime green. I have waded through the Asarum book with over 400 photos but don't see any that are even close.

Any help would be appreciated.

johnw

[Maggi Young]

I have no idea, John  ..... I really like it though, so will look forward to discovering its name.

[Carlo]

I love asarum and grow a number of the chinese/japanese species and cultivars. I'm no expert, but I'd look at shuttleworthii and/or asaroides. The color of the leaf is not likely to be determinative.

[johnw]

I love asarum and grow a number of the chinese/japanese species and cultivars. I'm no expert, but I'd look at shuttleworthii and/or asaroides. The color of the leaf is not likely to be determinative.

Carlo -  Thanks. They certainly are a confusing lot and the book concentrates on aberrant selections which doesn't help much in this case.  I wish we could grow more of them but it seems our summers are just not hot enough for many of them. A. caudatum and europeum grow here with great abandon, I had A. virginicum for awhile and it was a lovely thing. The Japanese species from Eco Gardens all petered out rather quickly - seemed like something was in their roots. Someone said A. takoi might be worth a try as it is quite cold hardy.

johnw

[Carlo]

And takoi is an unlikely but possible third option for the i.d.

I grow the Japanese and Chinese species in pots--outdoors in a morning sun/afternoon shade situation during the season, and on a cool north facing windowsill for the winter. My thinking is that heat is problematic for them, especially in pots, so your summer should be just fine. They seem to respond well to being watered like orchids...almost dry before you give in and soak them again. When they show slight wilt, I give them a good drink and then leave them be.

[Jim McKenney]

And takoi is an unlikely but possible third option for the i.d.

I grow the Japanese and Chinese species in pots--outdoors in a morning sun/afternoon shade situation during the season, and on a cool north facing windowsill for the winter. My thinking is that heat is problematic for them, especially in pots, so your summer should be just fine. They seem to respond well to being watered like orchids...almost dry before you give in and soak them again. When they show slight wilt, I give them a good drink and then leave them be.

My experience here in USDA zone 7 Maryland runs a bit counter to that, Carlo. I've had trouble with most asarums in heavy shade: they simply don't do that well, although they do survive.
Last year I was moving things around in the garden and had some potted plants of Asarum nobilissimum and A. maximum which were placed - with the intention that they would be there only temporarily - in a frame which got full sun for much of the day. I got busy, and the roots grew from the pots into the ground. Seeing that the plant were now firmly rooted in the new spot, I left them there in the full sun throughout the growing season.
These same plants spent the winter in a sunny cold frame: I'm convinced that they can handle sun very well - and benefit from it. If I forget to water them, they droop; but I've never seen any permanent foliage damage, and the leaves are large and healthy. So I think your advice about watering them like orchids agrees with my experience. But there is no doubt in my mind about the heat tolerance of the two species mentioned: they can take it!

[SueG]

My experience here in USDA zone 7 Maryland runs a bit counter to that, Carlo. I've had trouble with most asarums in heavy shade: they simply don't do that well, although they do survive.
Last year I was moving things around in the garden and had some potted plants of Asarum nobilissimum and A. maximum which were placed - with the intention that they would be there only temporarily - in a frame which got full sun for much of the day. I got busy, and the roots grew from the pots into the ground. Seeing that the plant were now firmly rooted in the new spot, I left them there in the full sun throughout the growing season.
These same plants spent the winter in a sunny cold frame: I'm convinced that they can handle sun very well - and benefit from it. If I forget to water them, they droop; but I've never seen any permanent foliage damage, and the leaves are large and healthy. So I think your advice about watering them like orchids agrees with my experience. But there is no doubt in my mind about the heat tolerance of the two species mentioned: they can take it!

Hmm - wonder if this might explain why the couple of species I've got which are in deep shade look quite so pathetic - might try them next year with a bit more daylight and will remember the tip about the watering - thanks!
Sue

[Carlo]

Good to know. I'm sure that additional sun will improve flowering...

What do you think about a winter rest in a shadier spot? I've got A. minimitanianum blooming there almost all winter long (and it's blooming again now!).

[Jim McKenney]

Good to know. I'm sure that additional sun will improve flowering...

What do you think about a winter rest in a shadier spot? I've got A. minimitanianum blooming there almost all winter long (and it's blooming again now!).

Carlo, I'm still learning here, so don't take what I have to say too seriously. But it seems to me that common sense (watch out!) says that the ones which grow under deciduous trees would get more sun in winter.

On the other hand, it sounds as if your Asarum minamitanianum is doing well: why argue with success?

[Afloden]

Hello,

 The Asarum looks like what Asiatica used to offer as A.takaoi var hisauchii. I grow it and it is an easy grower with long spreading rhizomes. My plant in the garden has grown from a 4 inch pot to over a foot in diameter this summer! Still not as bad as A.splendens though.

 Most of the Asarum proved hardy in my Z5 Kansas garden over many years. Minimatianianum had several winters where it remained evergreen at -11 to -13F. Rigiscens, hexalobum, asaroides, and several others all did as well.

 Aaron Floden
 Knoxville, TN

[Paul T]

Aaron,

Oh to have all those Asarum.  Can't say I've previously even heard of half of the ones you mentioned.  Here I grow marmoratum, splendens, maxima, canadense, caudatum album and one other that I can't recall the name of right now that I got from Rob K.  Haven't seen an Asarum I didn't like yet!!    Wish they were more available.

[johanneshoeller]

Some Asarum which I grow. I cannot identify them (A. maximum,...)

[johanneshoeller]

Some more Asarum

[ranunculus]

The red flowered one is outstanding Hans.

[Maggi Young]

What an interesting selection of these other-worldly creatures!