American Spikenard – the Fruit
/The American Spikenard that I see from my office window blew over during a thunderstorm but the stem didn’t break since the leaves are still very green. If you click on the image below to see a larger view you can also see the clumps of fruit that are beginning to ripen! The small spheres turn dark purple to reddish-brown (they remind me of garnets).
I planted the small plant in fall 2023 and thought in spring 2024 that it had not survived because I mistakenly thought American Spikenard was a woody plant but dies back to the roots each winter. It was a pleasant surprise to discover it growing a few weeks after I thought it was gone! So far, it has gotten bigger each year because the roots are getting more established. It is very happy in my shade garden surrounded by violets and the occasional pokeweed which I trim back periodically. The leaves are compound and the leaflets are large.
I used my camera’s zoom to photograph the clumps of fruit without wading into the violets. Most of the fruits will go to the birds. A few I might plant in pots (in the refrigerator to scarify and then in a sunny window) … and plant them outside next spring. I wouldn’t mind having more American Spikenard in my shade garden!
