Iron plants

[Andrea C. Hewitt]

I need some help--we just bought a house and my husband found this stand
of plants on our backyard. Some knowledgeable folks told him they were
called iron plants and that they were *valuable* (?). A description:
they have huge ( a foot long?) dark green leaves, and they grow very
densely packed. I don't know why they would be called iron plants. Does
anyone know of these plants? Any info on them (what kind of light or
fertilizer needs--they are growing in part to full shade right now).
Thanks for the help,
Andrea
Southern Mississippi (I think Zone 7 or 8)

[Richard A. Ifft]

They might be cast iron plants, also called aspidistra. Since I live in
a much colder climate than you, I don't know how to grow them outside.
Actually, I killed my cast iron houseplant inside, and they're supposed
to be indestructible. They are supposed to be content with low light
levels, but I'm not sure if that's their actual preference. In general,
I would think that if they look happy where they are, that's the
microclimate where they want to be.

Beth.

In <4p9bbs$i...@thorn.cc.usm.edu> ahe...@ocean.st.usm.edu (Andrea C.