Reineckia

[McDonough]

I attended a local NARGS New England Chapter meeting and annual "rare plant auction" today (a not-to-be-missed NARGS Chapter event that demands in-person attendance to meet with friends and engage in a lively and entertaining bid for one's plant lusts; I so enjoy such meetings.  As usual our local plant wizard extraordinaire Darrell Probst (of Epimedium fame) donated a bounty of amazing plants, a number of one-of-a-kind plant acquisition opportunities, along with with most unusual and interesting plants that are enjoying some recent popularity. 

One such offering was Reineckia carnea.  It was the description of a totally hardy slow groundcover evergreen plant for the New England climate, rather "mondo grass like", with fine dense clumps of evergreen foliage for shade gardens, with pinkish flowers, and oversized bright red berries that caught my attention.  I got it for a bargain at $15.  I'm very interested in hearing from anyone growing this plant as to your experience with its cultivation.  This one is available from a number of nurseries.

If you have any experience with the genus Reineckia, please post here; it will be new for me and I'm sure for many people unfamiliar with this obscure Asian genus of ornamental plants. Evidentally this genus is a member of the Convallariaceae, interesting fact unto itself.

Reineckia carnea
foliage:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/122131/
flowers:
http://www.sciencephoto.com/media/63054/enlarge
fruits:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/teechann1/archives/51120491.html

[cohan]

Looks like  a cool one!

[Afloden]

Mark,
 
Could I beg the fruit!? I have 5 accessions or more that I am running DNA on. I am convinced that there are two species or more in this currently monotypic genus. The fall flowers are fragrant, basal, and white and/or pink. Glad to share divisions of those dividable. I have a variegated Reineckia from Japan as well via the old Heronswood.

 Aaron

[McDonough]

Mark,
 
Could I beg the fruit!? I have 5 accessions or more that I am running DNA on. I am convinced that there are two species or more in this currently monotypic genus. The fall flowers are fragrant, basal, and white and/or pink. Glad to share divisions of those dividable. I have a variegated Reineckia from Japan as well via the old Heronswood.

 Aaron

Sure.  There are three fruits, one is particularly large, nearly as big as a grape.  Darrell Probst mentioned that the fruits stay on and remain colorful for about a year; do you think these fruit are ready to harvest?  I'm sure Darrell has some information about where this was collected. Please send me a PM with your current address.

[Fermi]

Hi Mark,
this plant became popular a few years ago and I got one from our annual plant swap. It survived a year or more in our shade-house but really didn't like the dry conditions unfortunately
Definitely a woodlander and probably still grows well for people in cooler parts!
cheers
fermi