A Ranking of Aspidistras for Growing Outdoors in Oakland

Number 9: Aspidistra gracilis: I bought this from Plant Delights in 2023 and have had to move it around several times, but it's never been happy. Right now I have it under a persimmon, and it's still hangining on:

Number 8: Aspaditra eliator: I got the standard species from a local nursery in February 2022. It's doing okay, but not very exciting:

Number 7: Aspidistra elatior 'Chicory Asahi': I ordered this from Cistus in 2016. It has never done too well, but sometimes has a beautiful leaf or two:

Number 6: Aspidistra fungilliformis 'Stargazey': I received this from Plant Delights only last year, but it looks a little ragged around the edges. I'll have to see if it does form a nice groundcover:

Number 5: Aspidistra attenuata 'Alishan Giant Splatter': Another aspidistra from Plant Delights, ordered in 2023. I originally put this in a spot at the back of my yard that was too dry. I moved it underneath the persimmon, next to a kunzea, and it has begun to bounce back:

Number 4: Aspidistra sp.: I ordered this plant from Far Reaches Farm in 2018, but I can't tell from their website if they ever identified what species it is. It's formed a nice clump over the past eight years:

Number 3: Aspidistra 'Hanado Raku': This is an amazing plant I got from Plant Delights early in 2025. Unfortunately, it was right in the path of some foundation work I was having done on my house, so I did an emergency transplant last summer, putting it under the Meyer lemon. It's bounced back since then, and it always catches my eye in the garden:

Number 2: Aspidistra oblanceifolia 'Nagoya Stars': I ordered this from Plant Delights right at the start of the pandemic in 2020, and it's done really well under a large antique tea rose.

Number 1: Aspidistra lurida 'Echi Ma Ji': This came from Cistus at the same time as Chicory Asahi, but it has done much better, forming a vigorous and healthy clump underneath my apple tree.

RIP: Aspidistra pulchella 'Kunming Starlet': This was the only aspidistra where I've noticed the flowers, which were very cool. But I had it in too sunny of a spot. I moved it a couple times to shadier and shadier locations, and I thought it recovered, but this year it disappeared. I'd order it again if it is ever avialable.