Coniogramme affinis Ping Wu Aristolochia silvery green

silvery green

cobalt-blue flowers

the stalks are a great structural element in the garden anyway

pollinated by both bees and long-tailed skippers

Coniogramme affinis Ping Wu Aristolochia silvery greenThis Hans Hansen fern spore collection hails from Ping Wu in China's Sichuan province at 5,000' elevation. The 3' long, dark green, glossy tripinnate fronds arch upward to form a 3' tall x 4' wide plant in 5 years. The thick underground rhizomes spread outward, but not at a rate that will prove scary or invasive in the woodland garden. Coniogramme affinis stays evergreen in mild winters, but is tardily deciduous when really cold weather arrives. The