Cast iron plant
Also called Bar room plant, Iron plant.
| Light | low light |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 14 days in the growing season, every 30 in winter |
| Pets | Cats safe, dogs safe |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, Cast Iron Plant entry.
It was the plant of Victorian hallways for a reason, and the reason was gas lighting: it survived fumes, cold, dust and near darkness when nothing else would. Nothing about it has changed. It grows slowly, wants no attention, tolerates a corner with almost no light, and forgives being forgotten for a month at a time. Two things will kill it. Direct sunlight, which scorches the leaves permanently, and compost kept wet, which rots the rhizome. It is also non-toxic to cats and dogs, which together with the low light tolerance makes it one of the genuinely useful plants for a flat with animals and no good windows. It even flowers, dull purple, at soil level, where almost nobody notices.
Ailments observed
| Brown soft patches on the leaves | Direct sun, which this plant of all plants cannot take. Move it out of the sun. Scorched leaves do not recover and should be cut off at the base. |
|---|---|
| Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant | Wet compost, which is the only reliable way to kill it. Let it dry well down between waterings, and in winter that may be a month. |
Filed underPlants for a room the sun never really reaches, Plants that will not poison the cat, Plants for a bedroom, Plants that forgive a beginner
Neighbouring entries
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