Woodlanders – plants for a cool position

Asarum. All of the members of this family are chiefly foliage plants, the curious flowers occurring at ground level. The flowers are fly pollinated and hence have no need to be showy, relying on smell as an attractant. They are plants of the woodland floor and occur on both coasts of North America as well as in the Orient.

Arisarum proboscideum (Mouse Tail Plant) is a charming if curious little plant for a moist shady position where it will produce dense mats of arrow shaped foliage. In late spring ‘mouse tails’ appear through the foliage which turn out to be the tips of the strange brown and yellow flowers huddled beneath the leaves. Inside the flowers are strange fungus like organs which attract the fungus gnat, the insect responsible for pollinating this plant. In the wild it grows in quite marshy areas beneath cork oaks.

Disporopsis

Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum ‘Variegatum’  is frequently wrongly sold as Polygonatum falcatum ‘Variegatum’. It most is beautiful in late spring when the arching red stems are adorned above with white edged paired leaves arranged in beautiful regularity. Below each node hang groups of two or three dainty creamy white bells, each tipped green. 60cm; spreading A plant of great charm for any cool sunless spot. Great for the bumblebees early in the season.

Polygonatum x hybridum (Polygonatum multiflorum of gardens) is beautiful in late spring when the forest of arching stems are adorned with the evenly paired leaves above and hung with clusters of dainty creamy white, green-lipped bells below. 60cm; spreading. A plant of great charm for any cool sunless spot. Great for the bumblebees early in the season.Polygonatum x hybridum (P. multiflorum x P.odoratum) is a variable hybrid between two species native to Britain

Polygonatum