Cast iron plant is an evergreen, rhizomatous perennial reaching up to 2' in upright clumps. It is a good specimen for planting in dense shade. It makes a good evergreen "hosta substitute", especially for low light areas as well as indoors in pots. There are some variegated cultivars. It is called barroom plant because of its ability to withstand spittoonish conditions and iron plant due to its ability to withstand neglect. It is frequently utilized in exterior landscapes down south. Cast iron plants prefer partial to full shade and are intolerant of direct sun. It needs rich, well-drained soil and is drought tolerant, though it can tolerate dry and nutrient-poor soils as well as a variety of soil textures. Water regularly spring to autumn, during droughts, sparingly in winter. Keep sheltered from winter winds. These plants grow well in containers and will spread if planted in the ground within their hardiness zone. They can be used as an accent or groundcover to fill in shady spaces. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: There are no serious pest problems. This plant is resistant to damage by deer and is slightly salt tolerant. Quick ID Hints : Erect, gigantic, coriaceous leaves with parallel** venations Evergreen ground cover, it spreads by rhizomes Petioles 7"-12" long, hosta-like leaves VIDEO Created by Laura Barth for "Houseplants, Succulents, and Cacti," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Spreading
Texture
Coarse
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Green; Purple/Lavender; Red/Burgundy; Variegated; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Lanceolate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Glossy; Smooth
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 3-6 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Basal, erect, long-petiolate, solitary, evergreen leaves. The shape is ovate to lanceolate to elliptic, apex acute, margins entire, surface glabrous with 16-20 parallel veins. The texture is leathery and the color is dark green to reddish-purple to variegated. Petioles are up to 7"-12" long, and the entire leaf often reaches 20"-24" long. Leaves extend directly out of the ground.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Cream/Tan; Purple/Lavender
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower shape
Cup
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Blooms very rarely, though will bloom in early summer if it does. The 8-lobed cup-shaped flowers are fleshy and grow close to the ground. It needs higher light levels in order to flower.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Brown/Copper; Green; Insignificant
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit detail
A single-seeded, fleshy berry. Rarely goes to fruit.
Stem detail
Acaulescent; what appear to be stems are actually the petioles of the leaves.