Asparagaceae FAMILY
Aspidistra elatior
Aspidistra elatior
Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
2/5
Safety & Hazards
None known
Botanical Description
Aspidistra elatior is an evergreen, stemless perennial plant with a spreading rootstock. The leaves are up to 50 - 60cm tall, they arise singly from along the thick, fleshy rhizome, forming in time a thick mat of growth[ 200 Title The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. Publication Author Huxley. A. Publisher MacMillan Press Year 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5 Description Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed. ]. The plant is widely grown as a house plant outside its native range and is also cultivated in gardens where the climate is appropriate - it can make an effective ground cover. It also has a range of traditional medicinal uses.
Habitat & Origin
Origintemperate
Native RangeE. Asia - Japan (Kuroshima, Suwanose, and Uji Islands), Taiwan, Vietnam.
HabitatAn understory plant, found growing in forests beneath Ardisia crenata and Castanopsis sieboldii[ 266 Title Flora of China Publication Author Website http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/ Publisher Missouri Botanical Garden Press; St. Louis. Year 1994 ISBN Description An excellent, comprehensive resource in 25 volumes. In addition to the botanical information the flora also gives basic information on habitat and some uses. An on-line version is also available. ].