Pinellia (Pinellia 'Polly Spout')
Pinellia 'Polly Spout' is a low-maintenance perennial for shade, offering unique blooms from May to July in zones 5-9.
Complete Plant Information
Overview
Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ is a distinctive herbaceous perennial prized for its unique foliage and fascinating, calla lily-like flowers, making it an excellent specimen for shade gardens. This cultivar, a cross involving Pinellia tripartita ‘Atropurpurea’ and Pinellia pedatisecta, offers reliable structure and interesting texture where sunlight is limited. Gardeners appreciate this Pinellia for its low maintenance requirements and ability to naturalize over time, slowly filling in woodland settings.
The appeal of Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ lies in its elegant, five-leaflet leaves and its unusual inflorescence, which features a long, whip-like extension rising above the spathe. Cultivating this Pinellia successfully connects the garden to its East Asian roots while providing year-round visual interest beneath taller trees or shrubs. Though adaptable, ensure your site mimics its preferred dappled light conditions for best performance.
Given its tendency to spread via bulbils and offsets, Pinellia is best utilized in areas where it can roam freely, such as naturalized borders or woodland gardens. While beautiful, gardeners must exercise caution, as all Pinellia species contain calcium oxalate crystals, making them toxic if ingested. Proper handling and placement away from curious pets and children are essential considerations for introducing Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ to your landscape.
Fast Facts
- Plant Family: Araceae
- Plant Type: Herbaceous perennial
- Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 5-9
- Size at Maturity:
- Height: 1.5-2 ft
- Spread: 0.5-1 ft
- Bloom Time: May to July
- Bloom Description: Green spadix with a spathe that has a greenish pink interior
- Sun Exposure: Part shade to full shade
- Water Needs: Medium
- Maintenance Level: Low
How to Grow
The ideal environment for Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ requires planting in the spring or fall once frost danger has passed. Place these tubers in locations receiving part shade to full shade, replicating the dappled light often found under mature trees. Soil quality is crucial; they thrive best in moist, rich, fertile, humusy, well-drained soils. Good drainage prevents tuber rot, even though the Pinellia requires consistent moisture.
Watering needs for Pinellia are medium. Maintain consistent soil moisture, especially during dry summer periods, ensuring the soil never remains waterlogged. This plant generally requires little supplemental feeding if planted in inherently fertile, humus-rich soil. Avoid heavy fertilization, which can sometimes encourage excessive vegetative spread rather than robust blooming.
As a tough woodland denizen, Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ requires minimal intervention. Maintenance is low, primarily involving cleanup of old foliage in early spring before new shoots emerge. Be aware that plants spread readily through bulb offsets, bulbils, and self-seeding; this characteristic is why this Pinellia is recommended for naturalizing, but it may become invasive in highly favorable, consistently moist conditions.
Landscape Uses
The spreading nature of Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ makes it supremely suited for woodland gardens, where it can form attractive drifts under deciduous trees. Its moderate height of up to two feet allows it to mingle effectively with spring ephemerals or emerging ferns, creating layers of texture in sun-dappled areas. This plant is also highly effective for stabilizing sloping, moist areas where its root system can help hold the soil.
For rock gardens, Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ provides a bold textural contrast against stone surfaces, provided the crevices retain sufficient moisture and organic matter. Its foliage offers a strong vertical accent during the primary growing season. While it is not typically used for formal hedges or specimens, its use as an informal groundcover or at the border of shaded paths integrates seamlessly into wilder landscape designs.
Standout Features
Flower Qualities
- Showy
Noteworthy Characteristics
Pinellia is a genus of about 6 species of spreading tuberous herbaceous perennials native to China, Korea and Japan. The genus name honors Giovanni Vincenzo Pinelli (1535-1601) of the Botanic Garden in Naples, Italy. ‘Polly Spout’ was discovered and introduced by Dick Weaver and is a cross of Pinellia tripartita ‘Atropurpurea’ and Pinellia pedatisecta. Its flower spikes resemble a calla lily, featuring a narrow columnar inflorescence (spadix) wrapped by a tubular spathe, with a very long, whip-like extension emerging from the lip. Pinellias contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are an irritant to the mouth and esophagus and they are toxic to cats and dogs.
Tolerances
- Heavy Shade
Potential Problems
Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ generally enjoys a pest-free existence, exhibiting no serious insect or disease problems under standard conditions. The primary concern gardeners face is management, not eradication of pests. Because this Pinellia readily reproduces via bulbils and offsets, its biggest potential issue is unwanted spread, especially in rich, warm, moist environments where it may naturalize too aggressively. Monitor spreading habits and remove excess bulbils if tight control is desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
What hardiness zones is Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ suitable for?
Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ is reliably hardy in USDA Zones 5 through 9.
How large does Pinellia grow?
At maturity, this herbaceous perennial typically reaches a height between 1.5 and 2 feet, with a spread ranging from 0.5 to 1 foot wide.
What sun exposure does Pinellia need?
This plant performs best when situated in part shade to full shade conditions, avoiding the intensity of afternoon sun.
When does Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ bloom?
Blooms occur throughout the early summer, specifically from May to July, presenting a green spadix with a spathe that has a greenish pink interior.
Conclusion
For gardeners seeking dynamic texture and low-effort establishment in deep shade, Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ offers a uniquely exotic yet tough solution. The distinctive flowers and reliable growth rate secure its place as a staple in specialized shade plantings. Before planting, assess your area’s moisture levels and ensure you are comfortable allowing this beautiful Pinellia to naturalize freely.
Companion Planting
Selecting companions for Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ involves pairing plants that share similar needs for rich, moist soil and deep shade. Its bold, vertical flower spikes contrast nicely with broad-leaved groundcovers. Consider using woodland natives like Hellebores (Helleborus species), which offer earlier bloom times to transition into the Pinellia’s display. Another excellent partner is Astilbe, which appreciates the same humusy soil and consistent moisture while providing feathery texture that contrasts with the structured leaflets of Pinellia.
Propagation Tips
The most natural method for increasing your Pinellia ‘Polly Spout’ stock is through patience, as the existing colonies will spread on their own via bulb offsets and bulbils. For intentional division, carefully lift and separate the underground tubers in early spring or fall before new growth is robust. Ensure each division retains healthy roots and at least one viable growing point. Because this cultivar is often noted as self-sterile, propagation must rely on vegetative division or harvesting the bulbils, rather than viable seed collection.
