• Photo of Rohdea japonica (Rohdea japonicas)

Plant Profile: Rohdea japonica

Names

Japanese Sacred Lily, Nippon Lily, Sacred Lily

  • Photo of Rohdea japonica (Rohdea japonicas)

Phonetic Spelling:ROH-dee-uh juh-PON-ih-kuh

Genus:Rohdea

Species:japonica

Family:Asparagaceae

The Sacred Lily is a tropical evergreen perennial that thrives in the moist woodlands and slopes of China and Japan. It features dark green leaves that create upright, vase-like clusters, expanding up to 2 feet in width. While its flowers may not be particularly striking, the vibrant red fruits add significant visual appeal during the winter months. For optimal growth, this plant should be placed in well-drained, rich loamy soil and can flourish in conditions ranging from partial to full shade. It is notably tolerant of heavy shade and black walnut trees, making it an excellent choice for border fronts, rock gardens, containers, or as a mass planting beneath shade trees. When the clumps become too large, they can be divided, or new plants can be cultivated from seeds started in a greenhouse.

Rohdea japonica Feature Summary

Rohdea japonica Image Gallery

Tags

#easy to grow
#winter interest
#slopes
#mass planting
#showy fruits
#red fruits
#clumping
#fruits winter
#tropical feel
#black walnut toxicity tolerant
#woodlands
#heavy shade tolerant
#container plants

Similar Plants

Rohdea japonica is often confused with:

Rohdea japonica Feature Summary

Fruit
Showy red berries persist through winter and are found at the base of the plant.
Red/Burgundy
Flowers
Late summer flowers appear but are insignificant
Leaves
Rossets of dark green thick leaves with creamy white edges.
Whole Plant Traits
Herbaceous Perennial
Ground Cover
Erect
Clumping
Vase
Cultural Conditions
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Good Drainage
12 inches-3 feet
Less than 12 inches
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Landscape
Rock Garden
Winter Garden
Shade Garden
Border
Mass Planting
Black Walnut
Heavy Shade
Container
Woodland
Slope/Bank

Rohdea japonica Attributes

Rohdea japonica: Country Or Region Of Origin

China, Japan

Rohdea japonica: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Rohdea japonica: Recommended Propagation Strategy

Division
Grafting
Layering
Leaf Cutting
Root Cutting
Seed
Stem Cutting

Rohdea japonica Fruit

Rohdea japonica: Fruit Description

Showy red berries persist through winter and are found at the base of the plant.

Rohdea japonica: Fruit Color

grass
Red/Burgundy

Rohdea japonica: Fruit Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Rohdea japonica: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Rohdea japonica Flowers

Rohdea japonica: Flower Description

Late summer flowers appear but are insignificant

Rohdea japonica: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Rohdea japonica: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Rohdea japonica Leaves

Rohdea japonica: Leaf Description

Rossets of dark green thick leaves with creamy white edges.

Rohdea japonica: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Rohdea japonica: Leaf Color

spa
Green

Rohdea japonica: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Rohdea japonica: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Rohdea japonica: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Rohdea japonica: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Rohdea japonica Whole Plant Traits

Rohdea japonica: Plant Type

Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower

Rohdea japonica: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Rohdea japonica: Habit/Form

Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping

Rohdea japonica: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Rohdea japonica: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Rohdea japonica Cultural Conditions

Rohdea japonica: Light

Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)

Rohdea japonica: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Rohdea japonica: Available Space To Plant

12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet

Rohdea japonica: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Rohdea japonica: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Rohdea japonica: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Rohdea japonica Stem

Rohdea japonica: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Rohdea japonica Landscape

Rohdea japonica: Landscape Theme

Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden

Rohdea japonica: Design Feature

Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree

Rohdea japonica: Resistance To Challenges

Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind

Rohdea japonica: Landscape Location

Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland