Hayes' Stars Aspidistra. This little know species of Aspidistra is one of the more cold hardy species that we have found and comes to us from the Sichuan Province of China. Stupendous plantsman Hayes Jackson, Anniston, AL, brought this back from China where he collected it at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. As Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery said, "This selection certainly needs a cultivar name," so I have taken the liberty of naming it 'Hayes' Stars.' The leaves are lightly speckled with yellow/chartreuse spots throughout its 18" height. When emerging in the spring, the leaves are wrapped in a deep burgundy sheath. As the new leaves unfold, they are completely green; then slowly the spotting starts to manifest itself. This selection has proven to be one of the best cold resistant forms in that its leaves do not show any burnt tips even when outside all winter where I am sure its containers will freeze through and through. Another great trait of this selection is that it is a great "multiplier," quickly spreading to a tight thick clump. If one lives in an area too cold for Aspidistras to be grown outside, they make wonderful low-light pot plants indoors. Almost every Victorian parlor had a clump of this genus growing in a spittoon sitting on a pedestal. Practically 100% of the time it was Aspidistra elatior, as this was probably the only species know in cultivation in the West back in the 1800's. Now there are at least 162 separate species which have been identified and named, let alone the number of cultivars of each species.
Zones 7b-10
