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When you think of a cast iron plant , fortune are , Aspidistra elatior ( ee - LAY - teeing ground - or ) comes to psyche ) . However , many cast Fe plants are actually cultivars of other species .
Such is the case with Aspidistra lurida ‘ Milky Way ’ , a rare but spectacular member of the cast atomic number 26 plants .
As with so many members of the Asparagaceae family , these bar room plants are cherished for being non - toxic and fearless .
If you ’re lucky enough to get a milky way cast iron plant , you may be ensure this wonderful plant will last for decades as a perennial , even though some growers may prefer having it as an annual .
Warning: Your ‘Milky Way’ May Be an Imposter!
It ’s a sad fact that most US gardeners will tell the unseasonable plant life thinking it ’s a ‘ Milky Way ’ .
This is due to some mutual confusion regarding species and their cultivars .
Aspidistra elatior was once thought to originate from China , but it was later proven to be native to Taiwan and southern Japan .
Meanwhile , Aspidistra lurida ( ass - pi - DIS - truh LEW - rid - uh ) is native to China and is very similar to A. elatior .
The cultivar Aspidistra elatior ‘ Hoshi - Zora ’ has small white spot and the name translates to ‘ StarrySky ’ .
Another cultivar , Aspidistra lurida ‘ Ginga ’ has larger white spots and is sometimes predict ‘ Starry Night ’ .
Both of these cultivars are often sold as ‘ whitish Way ’ , as are several other patched cultivars .
However , you ’ll know you have an authentic Aspidistra lurida ‘ milklike Way ’ if the plant has both bright white spots AND lighter green streak .
Cast Iron Plant ‘Milky Way’ Care
Size & Growth
These plants depend very standardized to common the vulgar green cast iron works in size and shape , which is one of the many reason they ’re often confuse with cultivars of A. elatior .
For instance , they tend to turn between 18″ and 24 ” inches and take their time in doing so at a pace of only 2 to 3 new leaves per yr .
They also tend to have a longer life-time than most houseplants , living 50 years or longer when cared for .
What sets ‘ Milky Way ’ apart from other cast iron plant is the compounding of light light-green dots or speckles on a gloomy green background .
This pattern is what pass on the plant its name , as the hint on the foliage resemble a view of the Milky Way galaxy in the night sky – a band of white surrounded by stars .
The leaves are evergreen , meaning you may enjoy this display all class around , although the old leafage may yellow and die off as winter approach .
Flowering and Fragrance
As with other cast iron plants , ‘ Milky Way ’ bears its fleshy flowers on rare occasion in belated leaping to former summer , but you may never notice them as they ’re located at the base of the plant .
Unlike A. elatior ’s purple blooms , A. lurida plants have maroon to burgundy flowers , which are fleshy and count almost prehistorical .
It ’s believed that these flowers may be pollinated by fungus gnats , much like A. elatior .
Light and Temperature
‘ whitish Way ’ is a deep tad - loving plant and will easily scorch with even abbreviated exposure to lineal sunlight .
While it can thrive in full ghost , it ’s good to give it some smart indirect sunshine for part of the day to ensure the diversification does n’t fade .
It ’s quite tolerant of fluorescent light and will flourish in office or dormitory space .
Another vantage to these plants is that they can well handle low to moderate humidity , think of you’re able to grow them in particularly waterless places or at normal menage humidness level .
Grouping them with other plants ( including other cast iron plants ) is commonly enough to give them all the humidity they need .
One of the understanding it ’s important to ensure you have an existent ‘ Milky way of life ’ is the fact that it ’s less inhuman - audacious than A. elatior and its cultivars .
While the latter is cold hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 7 , A. lurida and its cultivars are only inhuman hardies down to zone 8a when sheltered and 9 when exposed .
For this grounds , you may wish to keep your out-of-door ‘ milklike fashion ’ industrial plant in container that can be take indoors when the temperature dismiss to around 45 ° level Fahrenheit .
Normal indoor temperatures of 60 ° to 80 ° stage Fahrenheit are perfect for these plants , although they ’ll still be slow grower .
Watering and Feeding
Overwatering is the easiest way to pour down a cast iron plant , and ‘ Milky fashion ’ is no exception .
employ the soak - and - wry method acting for these plants , watering only when the soil is juiceless halfway down the container .
They ’re drought - patient of , so if you forget to irrigate them occasionally , it wo n’t make major harm .
commend , they ’ll need even less water in winter , so avoid using a calendar agenda on these plants .
Your whitish way upchuck iron industrial plant is a very dull agriculturalist , so feeding with a slow - release fertiliser can do more harm than good .
broadly speaking verbalize , by the time it really needs solid food , it ’ll be time to repot it anyway .
However , if you find you must feed it , give it a standard limpid houseplant fertiliser only once in leaping and again in summer .
Soil, Repotting & Transplanting
Cast - iron industrial plant get their sobriquet because they can handle just about any farm situation .
This include most soil types , provide they are lax and well - draining . Always habituate a tidy sum with drainage holes .
tally some coarse sand to meliorate drainage and ruffle in some constitutional compost to aid lower the pH , as ‘ whitish agency ’ likes an acidulous soil of 4.5 to 5.5 respectable ( although it will also maturate easy in slightly acidic soils or even impersonal up to 7.5 pH ) .
For container plant life , just about any potting soil with an acidic to slightly acidic pH will work , although you may wish to add some perlite or coarse sand to improve drainage .
While these plants are very hardy , their roots tend to be sensitive to being disturbed .
Repot no more than once per year in the leap or when the plant has replicate in size .
You may also bid to await until the plant is root - bandage if the stain was organically rich .
observe that you may see some signal of graft shock afterward , but the industrial plant will recover .
Grooming And Maintenance
These plants stand up to neglect quite well , but you ’ll need to wipe down the dark green folio with a moist cloth every few weeks , as they draw in dust like dogs to clay puddles .
Pruning is n’t necessary , although you should remove any clearly pathological leave to hold back the gap of infection .
Propagation Of ‘Milky Way’ Aspidistra
section is the main method of propagating these plant , although you should beleaguer the base using fingers only .
Some cultivator have also reported success using leaf withdraw at their base , but there ’s not enough data point to confirm this as a viable method .
Milky Way Cast Iron Plant Pests or Diseases
Outdoors , expect these plants to be both deer and rabbit tolerant , as well as drouth and fill in broad .
They ’re only gently frost tolerant and should be bring indoors or sheltered before any heavy frosts .
They ’re also well grown on slopes and bank .
Mealybugs , plate insects , and spider mites are the most common pests , although you may also spot slugs and snail , which are episodic pollinators for cast - iron plant .
As with A. elatior , do n’t be disquieted if you see fungus gnats ( they ’re a natural pollinator for cast-iron plant ) , although you may want to allot with them before they infest other nearby plants .
Anthracnose , leaf fleck , and root buncombe are the three main disease risks , although you may see powdery mildew if there ’s an infestation .
As with all bar-room plant , ‘ milklike Way ’ is completely non - toxic to humans and pets , and the sap is not known to stimulate hypersensitive reactions .
Aspidistra lurida ‘Milky Way’ Uses
As with other cast branding iron plant , ‘ whitish Way ’ is a great addition for those hard funny areas in the garden and under deck , including sloped surfaces .
In container , ‘ milklike Way ’ is arguably the most beautiful of all cast iron plant life and can be used as either a feature or accent plant .
It will thrive in unreal lighting , create it perfect for dorms and office staff , and wo n’t suffer if you go on holiday .
