aspidistra-elatior by invisiblecity
TheGardenLady received this question from Kathy.
I live in a very old home in Waco, Texas, with many beautiful aspidistras in various beds. This past winter was unusually cold for several nights in a row and now I have clumps of brown leaves. What is the best thing to do? Many of them are 25% brown, some over 75% brown. Help!
This has been an unusual winter across the country and no one knows what damage will happen to our plants. Many of us will lose some of our plants.
However, the aspidistra has a reputation for tough roots that should withstand those cold nights you had in Texas. And it should send forth new leaves. But to help it send forth leaves, you will have to prune out the brown leaves. Any leaf entirely brown can be easily pulled out with a gentle tug. The leaves that are brown should be cut back at the base of the leaf and composted. The aspidistra plants should return to their beauty in a few months.
There is a Texas landscaper who writes her own blog (see here) and shows how she pruned her aspidistra