This huge plant grows at the base of a small hillside in my garden. Normally grown in bogs or the edge of ponds but this does just fine here as long as I keep its roots nice & moist. The spikes are the 'flowers' & are covered with tiny reddish-green florets which are the seeds. The spikes in this picture measure from 2.5' to about 4' long & the leaves are about 7-8' tall & 5' across. This plant is about 6 years old & is the first year I've found seedlings which I'm nurturing in my greenhouse..
i believe I ahve seen these once in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco... I remember thinking how HUGE they are... Huge & Interesting.... Nice shot, ellen....
Isn't it fabulous? It does die back in the winter & I cover it with the dead leaves, then in spring it is one of the first plants to come back to life. Maybe it's because we are on the coast that is will grow here?
Thank you Rudi, I do plant sales mid spring & thru summer & almost everyone who comes to buy plants see the Gunnera growing down the end of the garden & ask 'What is that?' Of course they all want one too but I don't have any ready for sale yet but soon I hope.
I am surprised to see that this is growing in Washington State.
Odd I do not see this picture on the theme pages ;(