Some of the most highly prized plants in Japan are the numerous fancy leaf selections of rohdea, often commanding prices of $1,000 to $10,000 per division. Rohdea are slow to multiply (a perpetual failure in tissue culture) and accompanied by the extremely high demand from collectors, you can be sure they will never be found at mass merchants. When you compare the price of a night on the town with the cost of a rohdea (factoring in the duration of enjoyment quotient...indigestion doesn't count) then you will find rohdea plants are really quite reasonable.
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The genus rohdea is in the lily family and can best be described as evergreen, drought-tolerant hostas. In fall, rohdea produce 6" seed stalks adorned with bright red fruit. Easy-to-grow, rohdea prefer slightly moist-to-dry woodland garden conditions. We have very old rohdea clumps in the garden growing at the base of black walnut trees...now that is tough! Contrary to gardening books, Rohdea are reliably hardy to Zone 6 and many friends find them satisfactory shade garden plants in protected areas in Zone 5 although they become deciduous at these temperatures, which will certainly slow their growth. We are thrilled to be able to offer what is probably the largest selection of rohdea cultivars available in the United States, with more on the way. When you are ready to buy rohdeas for your shade perennial garden, check out our online offerings of rohdea for sale below.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
This rare and highly-prized, tropical-looking, oriental native provides the appearance of an evergreen hosta. The 1' long x 2" wide, thick, dark green leaves form an upright vase-shaped clump to 2' wide in 10 years. Late in the season, the insignificant flowers produce short stalks of red berries that persist through the winter at the base of the plant. When used en masse, rohdeas are a dynamite evergreen addition to the deep shade garden for a presence even in winter. We have masses of these growing at the base of giant black walnut trees...can you say tough? Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
We are pleased to add another collector's edition rohdea to our extensive offerings. Rohdea 'Gyoku Ho Nishiki', which means "jeweled phoenix brocade" (according to Barry Yinger, who knows these things) makes a small clump to only 3" tall x 8" wide. The dark green leaves are heavily pleated and ridged...reminiscent of some mountains I drove through in China. The leaves are then carefully hand-painted with streaks of white by master rohdea designers. In the ground, Rohdea 'Gyoku Ho Nishiki' needs a special spot so it doesn't get swamped by larger, more aggressive garden bullies. Although all rohdeas are drought-tolerant, they perform best in slightly moist, rich soils. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This amazing and very rare selection of the Japanese sacred lily has the most contortedly (take note...a new plant word) kinky leaves of any selection we grow. The Japanese cultivar name 'Nobori Ryu' means "climbing dragon"...a reference to the dramatically raised ridge running down the center of each thick green leaf. In winter, these deep shade-lovers are highlighted for the season with short stalks of brilliant red berries. Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
This selection of evergreen sacred lily is one we brought back from a visit to the UK in the early '90s. The dark green leaves appear to have been heavily brushed in a horizontal direction with white paint. Actually, it looks like the last home paint job I got when I took the lowest bid. At least in rohdeas, bad paint jobs make the plant worth more. How many do you want? If you have a shady spot near your house, plant Rohdea japonica 'Talbot Manor' nearby and tell your spouse you painted the house to match...on purpose. Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
.jpg "Epimedium wushanense (Wushan Fairy Wings)")
.jpg "Rohdea japonica 'Nobori Ryu' (Climbing Dragon Sacred Lily)")
