Cast Iron Plant

December 18th, 2020

Hey plant friends!  

This week we are going to be talking about Aspidistra (ass-pih-DIS-trah) also known as the Cast iron plant. This is a flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae. It is native to Japan and Taiwan. If you get the chance you must look up an Aspidistra flower. It will blow your mind. These plants are known to be called indestructible, they love low light and require low watering. They have a beautiful dark green foliage and sometimes can be found with spots of the milky way.

Let’s talk light. This plant is going to want to stay away from any direct light, this will cause burning on the leaves. North facing windows would work great in this situation. That is why this is one of the top listed low maintenance plants. They require little attention.

Cast iron plants are drought tolerant but they do need water to live. Just make sure to not over water this plant considering it will be in a low light environment. Aspidistra is going to want to really dry out in between watering. Its always a great idea to check the soil with your finger before watering.

This plant is going to want a well-draining soil, adding the Espoma Orchid mix to your soil is a great idea. These are a slow growing plant, something you will have in your collection for years and years to come. Cast iron plants do occasionally have issues with pests, one common pest they sometimes battle are spider mites. A good way to prevent these spider mites would be to treat with neem oil on occasion and wipe the leaves. Always make sure to look over your plant when you water as well. Check underneath and in between those leaves. That way you can catch them early on.

We currently carry the Cast iron plant at the greenhouse in 6” and 10” pots. If you have any further questions feel free to reach out to us by phone, Instagram, or email us at hello@tonkadale.com.

Happy planting!