Arthropodium Species, Renga-Renga Lily, Reinga Lily, New Zealand Rock Lily

I'm sure it would be loverly, except the Seattle slugs are attracted to it as cats to catnip. After 3 years of attempts, the plant is pr...Read Moreetty well spent from EVERY new leaf being eaten by a slug - most of them dozens of times bigger than the plant.

Some rate this as a zone 8 hardy

I saw Renga Renga (the Maori name for the plant) planted everywhere in municipal beds and under trees throughout South Island, New Zealan...Read Mored; the leaves are attractive and look rather like small Aspidistra leaves, providing good ground cover in addition to the elegant flower sprays. It is a native new Zealand plant and was used by the Maori who baked its roots as food and also used the plant medicinally. According to the cultural instructions that came with the seed, the plant will grow in wet and dry conditions. There are other species of Arthropodium; this one is apparently not hardy so in colder climates is best grown in pots or tubs which can be stood outside during summer. I brought seed back to England which germinated within 10 days of sowing in a compost of equal parts John Innes seed compost and peat based potting mixture at a depth of 2 millimetres; there was a very high germination rate so thin sowing is advocated. Newly emerged seedlings look like onion seedlings but soon begin to produce the strap shaped leaves typical of the plant. My plants are still immature but apart from a few red spider mites, which I dealt with ruthlessly, have presented no cultural problems so far.