Claudia Phelps Nippon Lily. This is one of the most popular genera in Japan to be displayed in the "Koten Engei" style where cultivars are grown for show in ornate porcelain pots. Other plants exhibited like this are Ardisia crispa and A. crenata, as well as Asarum sp. and Selaginella tamariscina. This particular selection came from Rose Hill in Aiken, SC, a magnificent estate owned at one time by the Phelps family. The Phelps were copper tycoons, but Mrs. Claudia Phelps, the matriarch of the family, was quite a plants lady, collecting plants from all over the world. Her husband was the U. S. ambassador to the Austria-Hungary Empire in the early 1900's.There are Ilex chinensis with 24" trunks and 35' Loropetalums, as well as numerous clones of Ruscus. This is a green-leaf selection of Rohdea brought back from one of her plant collecting jaunts which has extremely glossy foliage. John Elsley says that it is the best green form that he has ever seen. Of course the Japanese have numerous variegated and curly leaf forms which are used more prominently as "show" plants for competition. This genus likes dry shade. Good drainage is the most important cultural factor to consider. In time it will make a large evergreen clump of dark glossy green foliage. It produces large red fruit on short stems that are unfortunately hidden down in the foliage and are not readily visible to the casual observer. I have spoken with a landscaper in Lexington, KY, who uses them extensively in his landscaping there with great results. That far north, foliage tips may burn during the winter, but they will quickly recover in the spring. Every several years, one should divide their clumps. My collection of variegated forms survive outside all winter with no protection. We are working on multiplying our variegated cultivars so that we can eventually offer some of these jewels. I took the last three pictures at a Rohdea show, just outside of Tokyo. Mostly variegated forms are usually displayed.
Zones 7-10
Zones 7-10
