Grow Northern Chinese Mayapple for Instant Magic in Shady Garden Spots

It’s big and bold and a beautiful addition to shade gardens

I ’ll let in it — I’m a piece of cake for large foliage . Maybe it ’s because I ’m a big fan of ( garden ) drama . Perhaps it ’s because I ’m a Brobdingnagian proponent of juxtaposition in the landscape painting . But mostly it ’s because I ’m fascinated by musical scale and proportion . year ago , I carved out a low portion of my property , built a seating wall , and fence in it with plant life that sported large folio . While expend time there , I found my mind wandering to all - but - forgotten happy puerility memories . Why ? Because I feel physically smaller while surrounded by plants with mammoth leave of absence . Through this unexpected find , I learn that gardens can be sew to elicit specific emotion and memories .

My bridge player - down favorite plants for produce this type of garden deception are Taiwanese mayapple . I ’m haunt with them . And although I do grow and adore our aboriginal mayapple ( Podophyllumpeltatum , Zones 3–8 ) , I prefer the Chinese mintage and loan-blend . While our native option seasonally disappear after it bloom in late spring , most of the Chinese Podophyllum peltatum remain beautiful and alive until a gruelling rime in fall .

Many of these flora exhibit brilliantly patterned leaf , but it ’s the solid - green miscellany that have a particular stead in my heart — and in my garden . I ’m particularly affectionate of the northern Formosan mayapple . It is one of the easiest of this genus to grow . The attractive foliage is a dark , glossy green and profoundly lobate . This robust dish develop cluster of red flowers that hang like fruit underneath the leave-taking , bringing back retention of childhood treasure hunts in the forest . But the most fantastic thing about this plant life is its size of it . The leave can pass a larger - than - dinner - plate width of 18 in across , atop 36 - in - improbable stems . A fillip is that northerly Taiwanese May apple spreads via underground rootstock , so it can chop-chop ( albeit politely ) organise an impressive slew . It ’s also surprisingly deer and rabbit repellent .

The best way to employ this specimen is to juxtapose it with shade - loving plants that sport fine foliation such as Himalayan maidenhair fern ( Adiantumvenustum , Zones 4–8 ) . It also looks great geminate with midget hostas like ‘ Blue Mouse Ears ’ ( Hosta‘Blue Mouse Ears ’ , Zones 3–8 ) , foamflower ( Tiarellacordifolia , Zones 4–9 ) , or any epimedium ( Epimediumspp . and cvs . , Zones 4–9 ) .

Do yourself — and your inner youngster — a favor by adding some thaumaturgy to the garden with northerly Chinese Podophyllum peltatum .

Northern Chinese mayapple

Podophyllum versipellesubsp.boreale

Zones:6–9

Conditions : fond to full shade ; moist , well - drain , hommos - racy soil

aboriginal range : China

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Jay Sifford is an accolade - winning garden house decorator residing in Charlotte , North Carolina .

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