Saruma henryi

This rare perennial, confined to damp shade, bears a name that resonates like a prophecy. Saruma henryi, sometimes called is an unknown and surprising plant. Its flowers emerge in spring, at the same time as its foliage. Tirelessly, until the first frost, it is capable of producing small sulphur-yellow corollas that stand out well from an original, velvety and changing foliage clump. Very hardy, attractive and robust, it grows quickly and will easily self-seed in cool undergrowth. A must-discover.

Temperate Asia is the birthplace of Saruma henryi. From south to central China, this plant from the Aristolochiaceae family haunts forests and riverbanks. Discovered in the early 20th century, easy to grow, it has remained confidential. This upright perennial develops from robust aromatic rhizomes, with a diameter of 5mm (0.25in). It forms a clump 50cm (20in) tall when flowering, and 40cm (16in) wide, with rapid growth. The deciduous foliage is composed of alternate, heart-shaped, pubescent leaves, 6 to 15 cm (2 to 6in) long and 5 to 13 cm (2 to 5in) wide, carried by pubescent petioles. The leaves are born silver and fluffy, then quickly take on a bronzed hue, before adorning themselves with a beautiful bright green in summer. The flowers appear at the same time as the leaves. They are solitary, formed of 3 pale yellow to sulphur petals, and measure about 2cm (1in) in diameter. The flowering period is particularly long, extending until October, becoming less intense as the season progresses.

A boon for wooded gardens or shaded rockeries, Saruma henryi is an unjustly unknown plant that will bring light and originality to the shade of undergrowth. Pair it with butterburs, lungworts, Geranium pratense 'Okey Dokey', and masterworts. It will be magnificent alongside the feathery foliage of Athyrium nipponicum 'Pictum', or in front of the purple foliage of Actea simplex 'Brunette'. Saruma is an anagram of the word Asarum. Those who chose its name apparently lacked imagination when it came to naming it. It is a close relative of Asarum canadense, the wild ginger with similarly aromatic rhizomes, known and used for a long time by Native Americans and white settlers for its medicinal properties.