F.intoxicated rhymes with the days that begin to get longer, Valentine’s Day and sometimes even with Carnival. But what does this month represent for us plant lovers? Undoubtedly an irrepressible frenzy, a heartfelt desire to want to be outdoors among our beloved darlings and look for the first blooms that open to the first suns.
The “green hearts” of February
The first flowers, even the smallest and least visible, break through our hearts and fill them with joy. After all, February is the month of hearts. Or not?! But are there ‘botanical’ hearts? Of course yes, there are both the hearts of enthusiasts and botanists, densely planted with desires, but also botanical hearts. Which? The leaves with a shape similar to a heart. If we told you perennials with evergreen leaves, a beautiful dark green and shiny: what plants would you think of?
To us primarily the babble (Farfugium japonicum ‘Giganteum‘) secondly, the European baccaro, or asaro (Asarum europaeum).
The Farfugium with yellow flowers
Flower of Farfugium japonicum. Photo: Wikimedia commons
The first is a species native to China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan capable of giving to flower beds and courtyards – as long as you are not in a location where the frosts are not too intense, the plant resists down to -15 / -16 ° C but the leaves only down to -6 ° – a tropical touch thanks to its large leaves, too 20-30 cm in diameter! But the babbling is not just leaves, it also means to see flowers of about two centimeters in diameter similar to daisies bloom at the end of winter on the top of stems 30-70 cm high. with which they share the same family to which they belong, the Asteraceae. At the end of January, when the primulin jasmine had blossomed at Villa della Pergola in Alassio, the stuttering had also blossomed! To have large and florid leaves, ideal are the positions of filtered light or penumbra (which makes it an excellent species as a ground cover or as a border under trees) and humid, light, well-drained soils, with a good availability of organic substance. ; and it can also be planted in gardens near the sea.
L’Asarum from leaves to heart
The second, perhaps less known, although it is a spontaneous species in numerous regions of Italy and therefore we may have seen it during a walk, is a miniature babble. The asaro is in fact only 20 cm tall (less than half of the gutter) and its leaves are just 3-10 cm wide.
Asarum europaeum. Photo: Wikimedia commons
Alas, he also misses such a sunny flowering, indeed, his is almost invisible.
It is a spontaneous perennial herb in almost all of Italy where it grows in broad-leaved woods and, rarely, in coniferous woods and riparian woods. It prefers exposures and a good fertile and not arid soil both in nature and in the garden where it should be planted more often as a ground cover: once it has settled it will form a splendid green carpet… of hearts!
Pulmonaria, periwinkle, epimedes and ferns can be its perfect companions to create a corner of the forest in the shady areas of our garden.
Be careful though, the European asaro is a poisonous species, we are careful but if possible we do not give up on cultivating itit’s really beautiful!
Would you like more an expanse of small shiny hearts or see a bunch of larger hearts, under a leafy foliage or in a beautiful terracotta vase?
Where to buy them
Farfugium japonicum ‘Giganteum’. Photo: Wikimedia commons
Asarum europaeum you can find it from:
Giorgio Capecchi Piante
via Vecchia Fiorentina, 49
51100 Masiano (Pt)
tel. 0573.380564
cell. 348.3316702
[email protected]
www.capecchipiante.it
reference: Tommaso Capecchi
Central Park Nursery
via Vulpiate, snc
28066 Galliate (No)
cell. 393.9464451
[email protected]
www.mariomariani.studio
reference: Mario Mariani
The Farfugium japonicum ‘Giganteum’ from:
Az. Agr. Nurseries Valverde
via dei Belfiore, 111
95028 Valverde (Ct)
cell. 346.5161167
[email protected]
www.vivaivalverde.it
reference: Ester Cappadonna
Lazzaro Cappellini
via Cesare Battisti, 1
22060 Carugo (Co)
tel. 031.761714
cell. 347.1821721
[email protected]
www.cappellinigiardinieri.it
reference: Giorgio Cappellini
Soc. Agr. Zanelli Mauro and C. ss
via F. Cavallotti, 296 25018 Montichiari (Bs)
tel. 030.9960211
cell. 348.0902446
[email protected]
www.vivaiozanelli.com
reference: Mauro Zanelli
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