How long have we had this aspidistra? Certainly more than twenty years. It has suffered a lot of neglect and has had to endure long periods without being watered. If there was an organisation that worked against cruelty to houseplants, I would have been prosecuted long ago and shamed in local newspapers. "Guilty your honour!"
Aspidistras were very popular in English drawing rooms in the late Victorian era. The plant's natural homeland is South East Asia and southern China. There it is and was mostly found in shady areas of sub-tropical forests. It is not fond of bright sunlight.
Aspidistras are great survivors and to be truthful they easily endure the kind of neglect that I have subjected our old plant to.
On Monday, for the first time ever, I brought it downstairs and into the daylight where I repotted it using fresh compost mixed with good quality top soil. I also watered the leaves with a watering can - not something it has ever enjoyed before.
In this balmy summertime, I will leave the plant outside for a few days longer - protected from direct sunlight. Last night we had a rain shower and that won't have done the aspidistra any harm at all.
I dealt with another plant on Monday. The bay tree outside our kitchen had simply grown too tall over the years so I reduced it by two feet using clippers and a saw. It was obscuring our view up the garden from our main kitchen window. Now the top of the little tree looks rough but it won't be too long before new shoots and leaves begin to appear.
Aren't aspidistras also called 'cast iron plants' - withstand anything!
ReplyDeleteThat's right TM! Oh and I meant to say in my blogpost that there are 93 known species of aspidistra.
DeleteAfter the cactus died from neglect, I took a vow to not keep house plants again.
ReplyDeleteKilling cactus with neglect? That really takes the biscuit!
DeleteThey aren't called cast iron plants for nothing. Poor thing. I recently repotted a pothos plant which had never done well. The pot was hanging from the ceiling in a macrame hanger. When I got it down and took it out of the pot, the soil was soaked, and I rarely water it. Turns out the drainage hole had gotten plugged by a piece of wood and it had been sitting in water for who knows how long. I repotted it and put it in the window. We'll see how it fairs.
ReplyDeleteAlways good to put a handful of chunky gravel or broken pottery in the bottom of a pot. Fingers crossed for your plant.
DeleteI've seen these plants before but didn't know what they were.
ReplyDeleteThis blog is a mine of information Red.
DeleteOh dear, you may have just gone down a notch or two on Steve's greasy pole of esteem. Steve, the saviour and carer of many a plant neglected by others. If you haven't already read it, may I recommend "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" by Orwell. And no, it's not a book about plants.
ReplyDeleteI sometimes liken people to plants. By temperament, little will make me wilt if at all. And then there are poppies. Never shall I forget (I was about four) my utter bewilderment when my grandfather and I went on one of our many walks and I picked wild flours - in the meadows, where else - for my grandmother back at the ranch. By the time we arrived home the poppies had lost all their petals. Boy oh boy. Tell your granddaughters and grandson to leave poppies be and pick cornflowers instead. And to avoid mimosas [not the drink, the plant]. They aren't called Touch-me-Not for nothing.
U
I had a Bay tree once, followed the instructions for planting and care and it up and died on me! I wasn't surprised. I love trees but any I plant just don't do well.
ReplyDeleteIn horticultural circles it is known as The Elsie Effect.
DeleteFreedom for Aspi! Freedom for Aspi!
ReplyDeleteGood job you can't see the state of the five potted plants in my flat, all of them gifts, and all of them in desperate need of repotting. But apart from that, they are well cared for, because watering them is part of my established routine of regular household tasks. In fact, I am looking at the beautiful yellow flowers on two of the three orchids (I am not a fan of orchids as such, but as I said, all of my house plants were gifts), on the desk in my Third Room where I sit when working from home.
Is the "Third Room" your lavatory? It is easy for years to pass, completely - forgetting the necessity for occasional re-potting.
DeleteWasn't there a song - The Biggest Aspidistra in the World? Your bay tree pruning does look drastic. Hope it recovers but I can see why you want to enjoy the view of the garden.
ReplyDeleteThe song was sung by Gracie Fields.
DeleteI really must give my aspidistra some TLC. It is in a bedroom I don't use and has reduced itself to about 5 leaves. Must have had it for nearly 50 yrs. Repotting could be the way to go. .....and some water occasionally would be nice for it!
ReplyDeleteI also have a huge bay tree.....I chopped a bit off that yesterday so I could continue to get down the path. Using 2 leaves in a recipe every few months doesn't seem to keep it in check!
I hope this blogpost inspires you to care for your own aspidistra like a nurse in intensive care.
DeletePS. How about a quiz on types of plants/flowers?
ReplyDeleteNot a bad idea lass. I will think about it.
DeleteIt's not the biggest aspidistra in the world (sorry) but impressive enough.
ReplyDeleteIt was crying out - "Save me!"... and now I have!
DeleteWe also have a bay tree in a less-than-ideal location. Two of them, in fact -- one grew up on its own, from seed. I may have to cut it down eventually.
ReplyDeleteOurs is so vigorous that the sever haircut will just be a small setback for it.
DeleteLike Ursula I remembered the George Orwell book. Could it be that this long lived plant had a social history to tell. It is decidedly ugly and doesn't really have any merits but just sentimental reasons for keeping because at some stage it belonged to a long lost relative!
ReplyDeleteI cannot remember where I got our aspidistra from but not from a relative or friend. I do not think of it as an ugly plant but maybe it is.
DeleteAround these parts Carlos is the one who tends to the garden roses and the indoor plants; my job is trimming shrubs and trees to keep them manageable.
ReplyDeleteDid you sing your favourite Gracie Fields songs cutting the Bay tree?
ReplyDeleteI think it was Gracie Fields who sang about "The Biggest Aspidistra in the World". Probably a lot bigger then yours.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure why aspidistras became popular houseplants. It was certainly not down to their looks.
ReplyDeleteThis post made me realize that I have two iron plants in pots that are well over twenty years old. They sit now in the front yard, doing nothing, receiving nothing that the good Lord doesn't give them, and of course, they thrive.
ReplyDeleteThough I do not have a green thumb per se, I am proud of the fact that I have kept a plant alive since 1992. When my father died, friends of mine gave me a peace lily and it has been living with me ever since. I have repotted it a couple of times, and it has been through some moves to new places, and it is still thriving.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I've ever had an Aspidistra. Does it bloom?
ReplyDeleteOur bay tree is enormous. Fortunately, it's at the far end of the garden, so not obscuring anything.
ReplyDelete