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The only member of the Marantaceae that is really hardy in the UK. It grows best in a pond, and needs to be well fed to make a lush clump. In winter the glaucous leaves shrivel and roll like
rustling parchment.The heads of purple flowers are attractive up close, but make little impact from a distance. I grew it for a couple of years without a suitable pond and eventually it proved too vigorous to improvise accomodation for any longer. Plant Delights Nursery say: "Here is another weird Southeast native that you must see to believe. Thalia is one of the few hardy members of the branch of the ginger family that includes the tropical marantas and calatheas. In mid-spring, the skinny stems grow to 3-4' in height, topped with an 18", thick blue-green canna-like leaf. In mid-June, more skinny stems emerge to 6-8', each topped with clusters of tiny dark purple flowers. Unbenonst to most gardeners, thalia is a carnivorus plant, whose flowers trap flies with the fastest trigger in the plant world...a startling .03 seconds. In 5 years, expect a 10' wide mass of this bold foliaged deciduous perennial. Thalia is native to wet ditches and swamps, so give it plenty of damp to soggy soil. Writing about Waterside Nursery in 2008, Roy Lancaster says: "A similar depth [15cm] will comfortably accomodate Thalia dealbata, a member of the Maranta family from southern USA and Mexico which, though familiar enough under glass, is proving to be increasingly hardy, given protection in those pools where warmth and shelter can be guaranteed to prevent the roots from freezing through. When seen at its best Thalia dealbata is a dramatic, exotic looking perennial producing tall, long-stalked, paddle-shaped, blue-green leaves; in late summer its 2-3m stems bear curious cockscomb heads of violet flowers and powdery, silver-grey bracts. Interestingly, the flowers can trap insects as large as moths. It is certainly worth a try if you think you have the necessary conditions." |
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| 11th August 2006 | ||
