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care of chloranthus spicatus #313766

Asked April 16, 2016, 4:31 AM EDT

I just bought 3 chloranthus spicatus plants and is planning to receive them.  This plant has fragrant flowers used in tea in China.  It is well known in China as pearl orchid (zhu lan) but rarely seen for sale in any US nurseries and I wonder if there is any particular needs of the plant that I should  know in order to grow it well, such as soil Ph, soil porosity, soil moisture level, lighting requirement (full sun, partial shade, or shade),  This plant is highly valued in Chinese tea industry as well as in herbal medicine.

Thanks.

Baltimore County Maryland

Expert Response

There is not a lot of information on the internet.  We referenced the New York Botanical Garden IIustrated, Encyclopedia of Horticulture by Thomas H. Everett.
You may be able to find in the library.
This plant is native to warm parts of China and southeastern Asia. The plant grows outdoors in the humid tropics.  It thrives in ordinary soil in part shade. The plant also grows in a greenhouse or conservatory  as a foliage plant in containers.  It thrives in well drained fertile soil.  Repotting when needed in late winter or early spring. Water to keep soil uniformly moist from spring through fall and drier in winter.  Well rooted specimens benefit from regular dilute applications of fertilizer. Likes Temperatures of 55-60 at night and a few degrees more by day. They like a fairly humid atmosphere and some shade from summer sun.                                         mh

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