Sacred Lily

Rohdea japonica

From forests of southeast China & Japan; the "Sacred Lily" forms a basal rosette of 24 x 3 inch, lance-shaped, thick, leathery, glossy, deep green, tropical-looking leaves.
It is evergreen and clumps can spread up to 2 feet in 10 years, eventually more.
The flowers are followed by attractive spikes of deep orange berries.
It is ideal for green in the winter garden and while it prefers fertile, moist soil, this tough plant can tolerate summer heat, drought and even dry shade.
Thrives in partial to full shade and is tolerant of deep shade and not eaten by deer. Hardy zones 6 to 9 ( possibly 5 on protected sites )

* photos taken Feb 2009 @ U.S. National Arboretum






* photos taken on Mar 23 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD


* photo taken on Aug 20 2011 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photos taken on Aug 25 2011 @ Scott Arboretum, Swarthmore, PA

* photo taken on Mar 7 2013 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken @ Smithsonian Inst, Wash., DC on Aug 25 2014

* photo taken on Feb 8 2015 @ U.S. National Arboretum, DC

* photos taken on Mar 18 2017 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

* photo taken on Sep 20 2017 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken during Mar 2018 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on May 19 2020 in Columbia, MD

* photo taken on Nov 10 2020 @ Brookside Gardens, Wheaton, MD

'Aureostriata'
Foliage is yellow striped.

'Galle'
Very narrow, very glossy deep green leaves up to 18 x 1 inches.

'Marginata'
Clumps reaching up to 10 x 20 inches with deep green foliage narrowly margined white.

'Striata'
Leaves are deep green and vertically striped white.

'Yattazu Yan Jaku'
Forms a clump, up to 1.5 feet in height, with deep green foliage that is patched in white.