FoliageCast Iron Plant
Aspidistra elatior
Cast Iron Plant (Aspidistra elatior) is a slow-growing perennial, hardy in USDA zones 8-10, that matures to about 2-3 ft × 1-2 ft. It does best in part shade and full shade with medium water needs in well-drained and occasionally-dry soil. Expect brown, cream and purple blooms in summer. It stands up well to deer, poor soil and rabbits.
- USDA zones
- 8-10
- Sun
- Part shade, Full shade
- Water
- Medium
- Mature size
- 2-3 ft × 1-2 ft
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Maintenance
- Low
- Soil
- Well-drained, Occasionally-dry
- Bloom color
- Brown, Cream, Purple
- Bloom season
- Summer
- Tough against
- Deer, Poor soil, Rabbits, Salt
- Native to
- China, Japan
In the landscape
Data sources
Freeze survival
Will it survive your winters?
Hardiness zones show a normal bad winter. We check the worst one — Cast Iron Plant is hardy to about 10°F (estimated from USDA zone 8), so we'll score it against the real coldest nights your area has actually had.
Powered by ~35 years of daily lows from the nearest NOAA weather station. A risk read, not a guarantee — a sheltered spot or mature plant beats the odds.
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