Iris ensata Agrippinella Astrolepis This easy-to-grow hosta makes a

This easy-to-grow hosta makes a wonderful specimen with dark green

Along the scape are dozens of small pansy-like flowers of bright yellow

Each flower cluster is enclosed in an absurdly large green involucre resembling a green handkerchief

The first time I saw this ginger

Heptapleurum delavayi employs the same technique

Iris ensata Agrippinella Astrolepis This easy-to-grow hosta makes aI don't know what an agrippinella is, although I think I ate one once in Vietnam, but I do know that the iris by that name is a real stunner. Iris 'Agrippinella' is a selection of Japanese iris that begins flowering for us in early June (NC) with 3' tall stalks, topped with huge 8" wide flowers with 6 horizontal lavender purple petals, each highlighted by a central white blotch that radiates out into the petal like sun rays attractive to hummingbirds.