Also known as hardy gloxinia or flowering fern because of its persistent frondy foliage. Both are botanically misleading terms but this is an odd plant from a family of mostly tropical, woody plants. Botanically named, of course after some French missionary, it is native to central and eastern Asia, growing at high altitudes in dry conditions. It produces a large fleshy tuber similar to a dahlia that helps it withstand a cold dry enviorement. The plant is generally listed as zone 5 but we have grown it successfully in a sunny well drained locatioin. A kind of rock garden plant that looks totally out of place. It grows 24”-30” and flowers in early summer with big pink or white flowers resembling something you might see in a summer bedding plant. The foliage forms a nice ferny mound that persists all summer and into the fall. A unique addition to a northern garden.
AVAILABLE
I. delavayi - With pink flowers
I. delevayi ‘Alba’ - The white flowering form
Sold in deep 4” pots.
Also known as hardy gloxinia or flowering fern because of its persistent frondy foliage. Both are botanically misleading terms but this is an odd plant from a family of mostly tropical, woody plants. Botanically named, of course after some French missionary, it is native to central and eastern Asia, growing at high altitudes in dry conditions. It produces a large fleshy tuber similar to a dahlia that helps it withstand a cold dry enviorement. The plant is generally listed as zone 5 but we have grown it successfully in a sunny well drained locatioin. A kind of rock garden plant that looks totally out of place. It grows 24”-30” and flowers in early summer with big pink or white flowers resembling something you might see in a summer bedding plant. The foliage forms a nice ferny mound that persists all summer and into the fall. A unique addition to a northern garden.
AVAILABLE
I. delavayi - With pink flowers
I. delevayi ‘Alba’ - The white flowering form
Sold in deep 4” pots.
