Pinellia pedatisecta, commonly called green dragon or fan-leaf Chinese green dragon, is a tuberous herbaceous perennial native to the shaded woodlands of northern and western China. This elegant aroid rises 18 to 24 inches tall with a delicate spread of 6 to 12 inches, producing showy flowers and ornamental fruit from May through August. Hardy in zones 5 to 9, it thrives in partial shade with moderate water and minimal maintenance, making it a low-effort addition to woodland gardens and naturalized plantings.
Partial Shade
Moderate
5-9
24in H x 12in W
—
Low
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Pinellia pedatisecta stands among the tallest members of its diminutive genus, displaying distinctive leaf petioles and flower spikes that emerge from rich, humus-filled soil in partial to full shade. The plant's showy flowers and fruits create striking visual interest in spring and early summer, while its tolerance for heavy shade and deer makes it reliable where other ornamentals struggle. Once established, it spreads steadily through tuber offsets, bulbils, and self-seeding, rewarding patient gardeners with expanding colonies in the right conditions.
Pinellia pedatisecta is primarily grown for ornamental purposes in naturalized woodland gardens and shaded landscape settings. Its distinctive foliage, showy flowers, and decorative fruits make it valuable for gardeners seeking to establish drifts of unusual herbaceous plants in forested areas where conventional perennials falter.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Remove flower stalks prior to seed dropping if you wish to limit aggressive self-seeding and prevent the plant from spreading throughout the garden uncontrolled.
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“Pinellia pedatisecta belongs to a genus of six tuberous herbaceous perennials native to China, Korea, and Japan. The genus itself honors Giovanni Vincenzo Pinelli (1535, 1601), a figure of the Botanic Garden in Naples, Italy, preserving a connection between this Asian woodland plant and European botanical tradition. The species has been cultivated for centuries in its native regions before gradually entering Western horticulture through botanical gardens and specialty nurseries seeking shade-tolerant, low-maintenance perennials.”