Backyard - by the pond

Arisarum proboscideum
MOUSE PLANT

Outstanding Qualities

Arisarum proboscideum is an herbaceous woodland perennial that flowers in April, amusing adults as well as children with its whimsical flowers. Maroon and white flowers with tail-like tips hide under the leaves, resembling the back ends of mice. The flowers are long lasting in indoor arrangements. Mouse plant’s glossy spade-shaped leaves make a low groundcover until going dormant in midsummer. The early foliage makes a nice foil for spring-flowering woodland bulbs.

Quick Facts

• Plant Type: perennial
• Foliage Type: deciduous
• Plant Height: 0 ft. 6 in. (0.15 meters)
• Plant Width/Spread: 1 ft. 6 in. (0.46 meters)
• Hardiness: USDA Zones 7 to 9
• Flower Color: purple, white
• Sun/Light Exposure: light to open shade
• Water Requirements: drought tolerant when established - rich moist soil best
• Flowers: Spring

Colors & Combos

• Great Plant Combinations: Waldsteinia ternata, Asplenium scolopendrium, Cyclamen coum, Dryopteris crassirhizoma, Anenome nemorosa
• Great Color Contrasts: blue, silver, white
• Great Color Partners: Green, brown

A woodland aroid native of Italy & Spain, Mouse Plant, or Mouse Tail Plant (Arisarum proboscideum), is a small cousin to Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

It does well in dryish shade, though if the soil entirely dries out at any time in spring, it may go prematurely dormant. Persistant moisture in extremely well-draining soil will suit it best.

Its gorgeous green arrowhead leaves form a low, spreading carpet beginning late in winter. It would be a pretty plant even without flowers. But it is the strange flowers that lend it its name. The long tail on each fat little spathes lends the flowers the appearance of a family of mice, enhanced by the chocolate-maroon coloration of the upper portion & tail. The lower portion of the spathe is white like a deermouse's belly.

Mouse Plant leaves These flowers appear in mid to late April but are entirely hidden in the leaves, so that to appreciate the plant fully requires some interaction with the plant. If a gardener never thought to part the leaves, the flowers might well come & go never seen.

I sometimes suspect our gardens are in places way too "introverted" rather than showy, and visitors might not appreciate as much as we do such things mouse plants and; asarums with interesting blooms invisible beneath leaves, or hellebores with their showiness completely facing the ground. Fortunately we're not alone in liking introverted things. When four of Granny Artemis's out-of-state relatives came to town in April, we were delighted that everyone got down on their knees to part the mouseplant's leaves and; many oohs and ahs were shared.

For our two clumps, the leaves are fully developed by the time the mice appear. In colder zones the leaves start later in the season, and the mice may appear before the leaves entirely hide them immediately, but the leaves will soon enshroud the mouse family.

These ultra-charming blooms are not quite entirely hidden because the tails make them six or seven inches long, so that either the maroon tail, or occasionally a portion of the main body of the mouse, will poke out of the shiny green arrowhead foliage.

The mice are most numerous in April but may persist to the start of summer. The creeping clump of leaves outlast the flowers by quite some while, but will be dying to the ground by August, sooner if its essential well-drained humousy soil completely dries out. Be sure to mark the location well in order to not accidentally dig them up while they are dormant.

Hardy and easily grown, the main risk is excessive dampness rotting the tubers during autumn/winter dormancy. They do well in either sun or shade, but prefer bright shade. It grows from a tuber that develops rhizomes which develop more tubers and offsets, for a slowly expanding clump, never invasive but may after many years need to be lifted and divided.

I have wondered if this aroid shouldn't be regarded as partially carnivorous. The "tail" has a mushroom odor which is known to attract female fungus gnats as mouse tail pollinators. In the process the gnats lay their eggs in the mouse tail. These eggs hatch but the larvae fail to develop, having no actual fungus to eat. Possibly the fly larvae, starving while in pursuit of food inside the spathe, are also needed for full pollination. If the mouse plant happens to gain any degree of nutrient from the eggs and the dead larvae, that would qualify as carnivorous behavior.

But I've never seen this aspect of the Mouse Plant discussed in any detail, so perhaps it gets nothing from having the eggs left by its pollinator. I've wondered about this because it seems to me nothing is done for no reason by nature, and the Mouse Plant would seem to want those gnat eggs for some actual purpose. The reason the Mouse Plant blooms so early (sometimes ahead of its fully developed leaves) is it wants to get ahead of the actual mushrooms that will soon be attracting the same gnats. If not to any degree carniverous, the Mouse Plant is at least parasitic, in that it attracts pollinators it in no wise provides an exchanged benefit.

http://www.paghat.com/mouseplant.html

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Arisaema taiwanense

• common name: jack-in-the-pulpit
• flowering season: mid spring to early summer
• height: 30 - 36 inches
• Light requirements: filtered light, or morning sun and afternoon shade
• Soil requirements: average to rich and well drained
• Water requirments: average water requirements, weekly deep watering is recommended to keep it from going dormant before summer's end
• Growth habit: a slowly expanding colony
• How to propagate: divide in mid spring
• Leaf type: leaves divided into three large leaflets
• Ways to use it: grows well with other flowering perennials in the garden; in time its grows into a large group
• Special characteristics: dark red, almost black, hooded flowers have a long, thin tail trailing down off the front of the flower
• Other points of interests: one of the easiest of jack-in-the-pulpits to grow

Native to semi-tropical Taiwan, this unusual plant reaches 30 to 36 inches in height and is a member of the aroid family, Araceae. Its flowers open in mid spring before the leaves unfurl. Unfurl is s good word to use because the leaves are large and take some time to fully open. A leaf has as many as a dozen long pointed leaflets radiating from a centerpoint where they all attach to the leafstem. It is a dramatic event to watch this flower open over several days. The flower is a very dark purple-black hood with a long extended tip emerging from the front, enclosing within a white nobbin called a spadix. When pollinated the spadix turns later in summer into a larger head of red fruit, so heavy that it tips to the ground. It survives outdoors in USDA Zones 6b to 9a.

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Podophyllum pleianthum (Chinese Mayapple)

Hardiness

While the American mayapple is hardy in USDA hardiness zones 3 to 8, its Asian counterparts can usually only be trusted in zones 6 to 9. Podophyllum hexandrum can, indeed, be considered one zone hardier (zone 5A), having been grown successfully in Palmer, Alaska. From personal experience, the plants with hybrid blood, especially with P. delavayii (such as ‘Spotty Dotty’) tend to be more vigorous and hardier. Hybrids with P. difforme (‘Kaleidoscope’) require a more protected position in the garden. I have seen new shoots tolerate mild frosts in the spring, but threats in the low 20s F may require covering the plants with some type of frost cloth for protection. I have also used large, inverted plastic containers to provide a few degrees of protection.

Water

American mayapple is fond of moist areas, and I have seen colonies thriving near a boggy area. The Asian species like a rich, moist soil, preferably acidic; while somewhat tolerant of drought, leaves will crisp along the edges or, in extreme cases, the plants will go dormant until the following spring.

Soil and Fertilizer

Soils with a pH of 5.8 to 6.3 (somewhat acidic) are ideal, with the characteristics of woodland loam (highly porous with no chance of compaction). This can be achieved in containers with a fifty-fifty mixture of peat or compost and pumice or perlite.

Too much chemical fertilizer can bring on leaf burn. These are slow-growing plants that cannot be pushed. While I have seen some great plants grown with time-release fertilizer, it must be experimented with for best results. Organics are preferable, especially compost tea or half-strength fish emulsion; foliar sprays of either can produce great results. Marietta and Ernie O’Byrne, of Northwest Garden Nursery in Eugene, Oregon, have received plugs of podophyllum and grown them to large plants in a single season using only compost tea. Like hosta, podophyllums do require two to three years to “settle in.” Most of the Asian selections will gently colonize.

Maintenance and Pests

Podophyllums are remarkably carefree plants. Watch for spring frosts and protect plants if necessary. They require no pruning, and the first killing frost will knock them to the ground. In mild areas like California’s Central Coast and the Bay Area, foliage may persist well into winter. It should be removed in spring when the shiny, mushroom-like new growth begins to emerge. Snails and slugs may take an occasional nip, but they tend to dislike these plants.

Propagation

While the wider distribution of podophyllums has been made possible by the advent of tissue culture, most can be propagated from sections of the rhizome, each with a visible eye. I have seen colonies of small plants sprout from pieces left after transplanting a large specimen. The seeds are large and quite viable. They require a warm, moist period for a month, followed by moist stratification (wet-chill)—similar to the conditions for germinating hellebore seeds. This can be done in a refrigerator (for about two months), after washing the seeds and placing them in a squeezed-dry ball of sphagnum moss. Once chilled in this method, the seeds can be sown without cover. Germination is erratic and has taken as long as five months). Keep a plastic bag over the pots of seeds or seedlings to prevent them from drying out.

Hybridizing

At Terra Nova Nurseries, we have successfully hybridized a number of species of Podophyllum, even crossing the American and Asian species. Most podophyllums are self-incompatible; if you want seeds, try to have several clones or species nearby. Pollinating is an easy task as flowers are quite large. Pick the fruit only when it softens, and wash it thoroughly.

- See more at: http://www.pacifichorticulture.org/articles/podophyllums-the-mayapples-of-asia-and-america-2/#sthash.TiuwmLnh.dpuf
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ABUTILON - Tiger Eye

Family: Malvaceae

Genus: Abutilon

Common Name: Flowering Maple, Chinese Lantern (not to be confused with Physalis), and Indian Mallow

• Origin: Species come from South or Central America, Australia, and Africa.
• Culture: This genus enjoys having light shade to full sun. Its bell shaped flowers range in color from white through pink, and from yellow to orange all the way to a deep bronzy red. Its leaves are palmate like a maple hence the common name 'Flowering Maple'. In our climate it is mostly grown as an annual but it is possible to over winter them in a protected spot like a porch or by bringing them inside during the colder months.
• Maintenance: Give plenty of water especially on the hottest summer days. Provide good drainage. Fertilizing once a week, during the growing season, will extend the blooms. Plants can be pruned to desired shape and even cut back hard in early spring to control size.
• Pests & Diseases: Aphids and slugs can be a challenge for these plants outdoors. When brought indoors they can be susceptible to houseplant pests such as whiteflies, spider mites, scale, and mealybugs. These can be treated with insecticides. Common diseases include root rot, rust, Alternaria and Cercospora leaf spot. These can be controlled by providing good air circulation, keeping the leaves dry and if necessary using a fungicide.
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Rogersia podophylla 'Braunlaub'

An asian native perrenial used for it's bold lines and large serated leaves - dark bronze as they emerge, fading to dark green in summer, and turning to a copper and red tone by fall. Good choice for pond and stream edges. Prefers a sheltered spot with cool moist soil,, part sun.

Zone 5

Native to China and Japan, this spectacular genus will grow in ordinary garden soil, but give it rich, moist soil along a pond, stream or marshy area and it will thrive. Rodgersias are fine architectural specimens characterized by bold textured leaves that can spread to a foot across, originating from brownish black, fleshy rhizomes. So be sure to provide plenty of space. The numerous unpetaled flowers, colored by intriguing creamy salmon sepals and stamens, are borne on large panicles, and when in bud look almost like miniature cauliflowers.

A topnotch foliage plant selected by Ernest Pagels, ‘Braunlaub’ delivers stylish bronzed leaves. Loose ivory-colored panicles rise high above the striking textural clump composed of prominently veined compound leaves divided into 5 to 7 lobed leaflets with sharply serrated edges. Becoming dark green by midsummer and later transmuting brilliant copper and red autumn hues, this Rodgersia’s large richly colored foliage offsets fine textured plants like Carex ‘Oehme’ and Thalictrum ‘Elin’.

Blooms June – mid-August.

Size: 2-1/2' high x 3' wide; hardy to zone 5.

• Chinese rhubarb in whiskey barrel
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• FamilyPolygonaceae
• GenusRheum are robust rhizomatous herbaceous perennials with large, simple or palmately lobed leaves and tall leafy stems bearing large panicles of tiny flowers
• DetailsR. palmatum is a clump-forming perennial. With large, lobed leaves up to 75cm long and panicles of pink or creamy-white flowers that rise on 2m long stems in early Summer, this ornamental rhubarb is an architectural plant that demands space