Simon & Schuster's Guide to Plants and Flowers
Chapter 11 MAIDENHAIR FERNAdianthum capillus-veneris:Family:Adiantaceae. Name from Greekadiantos,dry; the fronds repel water, a property first recorded by Theophrastus.Place of origin:cosmopolitan; rare in Britain.Description:a lovely and delicate deciduous fern with many basal fronds; numerous pinnules (small leaves) which are dark green, kidney-shaped, crenulate or lobate on the upper edge. Many distinct varieties once grown hut now largely disappeared.Use:as an indoor plant, or to decorate walls and recesses and damp, shady rockeries.Planting:spring. Keep rhizomes near soil surface. For pot use, supply good drainage and a little time.Propagation:by division and by spores sown on damp peat and sand, covered with glass to maintain humidity.Environment and light:adequate hut not direct light, with fairly high humidity level. Avoid hot places, move as little as possible. Slight frost injures fronds; severe frost kills.Type of soil:ordinary garden soil with peat.Soil moisture:water plentifully during growing season; in winter keep soil moist only.2 ARALIA misnamed CASTOR-OIL PLANTAralia sieboldii(more correctlyFatsia japonica):Family:Araliaceae. Name adapted from the Japanese name for this plantFat Si.Place of origin:Japan; introduced into Europe in 1838.Description:a slow growing evergreen plant with large, bright green, smooth, shiny leaves with 7 or 9 (rarely 11) pointed, oblong lobes. Flowers on branching panicles in round, milky-white heads, succeeded by round, black, ivy-like berries.Flowering time:autumn to winter.Use:where hardy (temperate climates) makes a useful winter flowering shrub. The cream-splashed leaves of the varietyvariegatamake this a good house plant for cool rooms.Propagation:by cuttings from sucker shoots in spring, or by division.Environment and light:adequate light indoors but never in direct sun. Half-shade outdoors.Type of soil:any good garden soil outdoors; loam, peat or leaf mould and sand (equal parts) for pot work.Soil moisture:water only when required.Remarks:shorten straggly growths in spring.3 ASPARAGUS FERNAsparagus sprengeri(now more correctlyA. densiflorus "Sprengeri"):Family:Liliaceae. Name given by Theophrastus.Place of origin:Southern Africa; introduced into Europe in 1890.Description:a woody stemmed plant with long trailing (or widely climbing) branches 2-6 ft. (1-2 m) long, armed with small hooked prickles and small, flat, evergreen phylloclades, mostly in threes and 1-1 1/2 in. (2.5-4 cm) long. Flowers tiny, white or pinkish, fragrant, in racemes. Fruit: bright red 1/2 in. (1 cm) berries.Flowering time:early summer.Use:as an indoor plant, especially suitable for hanging baskets.Propagation:by division in spring or seed.Environment and light:ample ventilation, plenty of light, but not direct sun.Type of soil:dry, permeable and rich. If the soil is not sufficiently rich, the branches of the plant will droop. Feed in summer.Soil moisture:water regularly, more frequently in the summer months.Remarks:dwarfs and variegated forms occur.4 ASPIDISTRAAspidistra elatior (A. lurida):Family:Liliaceae. Name from Greekaspidion,a small round shield, referring to shape of stigma.Place of origin:Central-eastern Asia; introduced 1822.Description:perennial plants with underground rhizomatic sterns, long and large radical leaves, upright and well stemmed, with complete, leathery, shiny green lamina, narrowing to a channelled stalk one-third the length of the blade. Purple, insignificant flowers close to ground. Also a variegated green and white leafed variety.Flowering time:seldom; summer.Use:withstands poor soil and light and considerable neglect, but needs good light for robust health.Propagation:by division towards the end of autumn.Environment and light:needs good light, but not sun; without adequate light the leaves become less shiny. Outdoors it grows well in warm, shady places.Type of soil:ordinary soil with sand and peat, always with a little organic matter.Soil moisture:water regularly two or three times weekly, and more often in summer.Copyright © 1974 by Arnoldo Mandadori Editore, Milano