Cobra lily or Jack in the Pulpit from Japan with exotic striped flowers in mid-spring but the bold and glossy foliage steals the show. Forming large patches in rich, WELL DRAINED soil with regular summer irrigation. Shade- protect the amazing leaves from blasting sun. They will stand prominently up to 2′ tall- triple lobed, glossy and good looking. One of the more reliable of the genus in fact we think this is the best adapted Jack in the Pulpit for our climate. Mix with other bold shade perennials. Mulch with compost annually. Disappears entirely in winter. A Xera favorite perennial.
Family: Araceae
Calocasia antiquorum ‘Black Pearl’
Big, bold, and hardy, this is the cold hardiest Elephant’s ear that we’ve yet grown. Large (14″ long by 9″ wide) leaves with a distinct black dot in the center- the pearl. Large growing perennial to 4′ tall and running underground to spread as wide. Rich, moisture retentive soil with regular summer water. Excellent companion for other bold leaved plants- such as gold leaved Acanthus. Excellent for tropical effects w/ no fear of freezing out. Root hardy below 10ºF when clumps are established Give this large plant room to spread. Easy to grow for the most part. Goes deciduous with the first frost and emerges late in spring when the soil truly warms. Be patient. Not bothered by pests. Mulch for the first autumn. Great for big subtropical effects. Tolerates shallow water, but is not as hardy to cold.
Zantedeschia aethiopica
Calla Lily- the dream of many gardeners and an heirloom perennial that has been grown in our region for eons. Large clump forming perennial with dramatic pure white flowers with the familiar form. They begin in early spring with a large flush of bloom and then sporadically until frost. The large boisterous foliage is mostly evergreen and rises to 2′ tall with flower spikes twice as tall. Deer resistant. In cold gardens it is traditionally grown agains warm foundations. But I have seen it thrive in the wide open in the coldest parts of the Willamette Valley. Amenable to saturated soils and can reside as a marginal plant in a pond. Rich, well drained soil is ideal. Water VERY heavily the first summer to establish- then light consistent water in summer. Full sun to quite a bit of shade but at the expense of flowering. Can be a little tricky to establish and ironically it can be a little hard to get rid of once you have it. Lives for many decades. South Africa.