Pinellia tripartita 'Polly Spout' features a delicate pink spathe interior that George Schmid says, in his Encyclopedia of Shade Perennials, stands out like a pink flag.
On source notes that the main difference between P. tripartita 'Atropurpurea' and the species is Atropurpurea's "strong affinity to attracting gnats (or small flies) as pollinators, which seem to perish once entrapped in the lower chamber" of the spathe. I wonder if this is related to the red spathe interior color?
I just acquired P. cordata 'Yamazaki' this spring, from Ellen Hornig's Seneca Hill Perennials, as a dormant tuber.
Native to China and Korea, P. cordata is considered by many to be the best of the species in cultivation. The clone 'Yamazaki', named in honor of its originator in Japan, is said to be larger than the species with better patterned leaves.
As soon as it started to awaken, I fell in love. Two cravings - purple foliage and variegated foliage - were satisfied in one neat package.
From tiny tubers arise , shiny, deep purple, tightly rolled leaves on dusky petioles.
| As the leaf unfolds, the white vein markings become visible. |
Fully open, the dark green, glossy heart-shaped leaves (hence the 'cordate' in the name) resemble some forms of Cyclamen in their markings or one of the Asian hardy gingers. The leaves reach three to five inches (8-13cm) long and about half as wide.
The relatively long leaf petioles (stems) - to eight inches (20 cm) - remain a dusky purple.
Just planted in the garden, I see that the leaves are not erect, so that the overall plant height appears closer to six inches (15cm).
Dan Hinkley, in his The Explorer's Garden notes that he has some seedlings of P. cordata with entirely green leaves. While charming, I'm sure, I want the variegation!
Even more exciting is the underside of the leaf - deep purple with green vein markings! Oh, be still my heart! This plant thrills me to the core.
Unfortunately, it's said to be much slower increasing than other species. I'm hoping "they" are incorrect because I can't have too much of this child. I will be looking for the leaf stem bulbils to plant on and increase stock as quickly as I can, since it is said to be reluctant to set seed in the garden.
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