Gunnera manicata

Gunnera, Dinosaur Food
Gunnera manicata
Type: Perennial
Exposure: Sun / Part Shade
Water: Ample
Folks, meet the grandaddy of foliage plants. Gunnera not only demands attention, but alters the scale of any garden that contains it. Native to the tropics, and originating from the time of the dinosaurs, a single plant can reach 10ft (3m) high and wide, with individual leaves maturing to a whopping 6ft (1.8m) across. These leaves are deeply veined and cut, and look like rhubarb leaves on steroids. These are held by spiky stalks, forming a huge vase-shaped clump. Flowers that are shaped like big pine cones are held upright, and appear in the spring. Gunnera need constantly moist soil, so they’re a natural choice for boggy or waterside locations, such as the one in the pictures from Van Dusen Gardens, Vancouver. They also appreciate multiple feedings throughout the growing season to help form their monster leaves.

A word of caution: While researching this, I found a few (but only a few) references to Gunnera being invasive, causing problems in New Zealand, Ireland, and closer to my home, in Tofino BC. Meanwhile, other sites are quite enthusiastic about its virtues. So if you have, or plan to have a Gunnera, be sure to keep an eye out for unwanted seedlings. Just in case.

Flower photo courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Cheers,

John