Description Family Aristolochiaceae Originating from China. Evergreen marbled leaves slowly spread to form a low ground cover. Amazing black flowers with white throats nestle below the leaves. Easy to grow in most soil in woodland dappled shade. Slowly spreading mounds of evergreen dark, glossy green heart-shaped leaves have variable silver-green marbled markings. Spreading slowly by rhizomatous roots with the same smell as culinary ginger, although they are not edible. Planted in groups, they will develop into a carpet of distinctive, handsome foliage, worthy of viewing at close quarters, even before the flowers are considered. Adorably cute flowers with velvety petals borne under the marbled leaves. In spring it produces one of the most original flowers we can grow in the UK; with a plush velvety texture in a near-black shade of maroon, and a widely flared trumpet-shape with a stunning white throat, they nestle nicely around the edge of the clump, peeking out and demanding closer inspection. It makes the perfect jungle or woodland carpet, growing in the dappled shade of taller plants such as Acers, Trachycarpus fortunei, Scheffleras, and Osmanthus yunnanensis. Easy to grow in most except alkaline soil types and great in pots. Height and spread after 2 – 5 years 20cm x 20cm.
