George Orwell knew what he was talking about when he used this plant as a symbol of the downtrodden. In "Keep the Aspidistra Flying" this plant lived its life on a dingy windowsill.

We have a book on houseplants that says if you have dim or almost no light, the only plant you should consider is the aspidistra.

Native to China and a member of the lily family, aspidistra has long been appreciated for its ability to withstand enormous neglect.

Its heavy green leaves can sometimes appear black as it sits neglected in a corner. But with proper care this is a beautiful plant.

As you can see in the photo, ours grows, neglected, out of doors year-round in zone 9a.

Indoors this plant can deal with bright filtered light to very dim lighting. Outdoors: shade.

Water regularly in the growing season with a balanced fertilizer once a month. Water sparingly in winter.

It is relatively disease and pest free under most conditions.

Propagation is by division of root mass in early spring.

It grows outdoors in zones 7 to 10.