Chloranthus japonicus ("Hitorishizuka")

Japanese name: ヒトリシズカ （一人静）
Scientific name: Chloranthus japonicus

[Overview]
A perennial that grows in colonies in shady, somewhat moist places in deciduous forests.
The stem rises erect from a short creeping underground rhizome and grows 15–30 cm tall.
The stem is reddish purple at first and later turns green.
The leaves are decussate (opposite in pairs at right angles) at the two nodes in the upper part of the stem, but because the internodes are compressed they look as if they were in whorls of four.
The leaves are simple, elliptic to ovate-elliptic, 4–9 cm long and 2–7 cm wide.
The upper surface of the leaf is glossy, both sides are hairless, and the margin is toothed.
The young leaves emerge wrapped around the inflorescence and are tinged with black.
One (rarely two) spike-like inflorescence 1–2 cm long is produced at the stem tip, bearing many densely packed flowers.
The flowers have no petals, with 3 white stamens and 1 yellowish green pistil.
The 3 stamens are fused at the base, and the connectives extend long and thread-like, so the whole inflorescence looks like a white brush.
The inflorescence extends to 2–3 cm long at fruiting time.
The fruit is spherical, 2.5–3 mm across, and ripens while remaining green.
The seeds have appendages that ants like.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by division.
Seeds germinate poorly once dried, so sow them immediately after harvesting.
It prefers humus-rich soil that is well drained and retains water well, and bright shade that is somewhat moist.
Keep it in a place that is sunny from winter through the flowering season and becomes bright shade after that.
Direct sunlight in summer causes leaf scorch, so shading is necessary.
When planted in the ground, a moist place under deciduous trees is good.
It dislikes dryness, so watch for water shortage; keep potted plants moist to some degree at all times, and water plants in the garden too if they wilt.
Do not let it dry out completely even in winter, when the aboveground parts have died back.
Apply bone meal and oilcake once each in spring and autumn, but too much produces too many flower spikes, so adjust the amount.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

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