Description
Disporum – Prosartes – Fairy Bells –
There are about 10-20 elegant and attractive rhizomatous perennials, in this genus which are similar to Solon’s Seal (Polygonatum). They occur in woodlands in the Himalayas, Eastern Asia and temperate North America. The mid to dark green leaves are ovate to lance shaped, stalkless or with short stalks, usually hairless, are carried alternately on sparsely branched, arching stems. Often pendent, narrowly bell shaped, white to green-yellow, purple-red, or bronze red flowers, ½-1 1/4″ long, are usually borne in few flowered umbels, occasionally singly. They are followed by orange, red, or black berries. Grow in a woodland garden or shady mixed or herbaceous border.
Grow in cool, moist but well drained, humus rich soil in partial shade. Divide rhizomes in early spring.
Prone to fungal spots, slugs, and vine weevils.
D. hookeri – This clump forming rhizomatous perennial from Northwestern USA grows 36″ tall and half as wide. It produces ovate to lance shaped leaves, 1 1/4-5 ½” long, with heart shaped bases, hairy on the edges and on the veins beneath. In spring it bears umbels of up to 3 pendent, tubular-bell shaped, greenish cream flowers, with slightly spreading tepals, followed in autumn by orange-red berries.
Zones 4-9
