Silver enhances all perennials and 'Powis Castle' looks great dappled in sunny gardens. This artemesia benefits from periodic tipping to keep stems full and dense, and needs full sun and excellent drainage. Seemingly out of nowhere, deep green, arrow-shaped leaves emerge in early fall to grace ensuing winter gardens. The leaves have prominent cream veining and create a beautiful replacement for perennials that die back for a winter's rest. Pat Rodgers, a landscape designer in Charlotte, NC, always plants arum next to Hostas.
Flowers are white spathes that transform to spikes of rich red berries.
The berries form after the plant has gone dormant in late spring and add interest to late spring gardens. Our crop is seed grown, so includes male and female plants, both plenty showy. Native Americans used the dried leaves and root of this native ginger medicinally. This drought-tolerant native groundcover survives during times of little rainfall. Warm soil and a usual resumption of regular rainfall encourage vigorous root growth.