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Chameleon plant (Houttuynia cordata)

M

mabudon

Metal King
the title should say it all- we got one at a plant sale yesterday and I was intrigued by the notion that such a funky-looking plant MAY live in my bog garden (the cranberries bor the heck outta me and the occasional crabgrass isn't much for "flora" either)

Anyways, after checking out the 'net, I find that the thing can be a nigtmare if not kept in check...

SO... would it grow in similar conditions to Sarrs and Drosera??

And if it does, could it just be cleaned off of the dirt and plunked in the bog, or would it grow too well and kill my whole set-up??

Could I put it in its own little bog-pot so it only looks like it's living in there?? Or should I just do as a lot of folks elsewhere suggest, keep in in pretty much "regular dirt" in a pot with a saucer so it can't get CRAZY?? I would hope that our cold Canadian winters would kill it off, but I don't know, so I posted this in hopes of avoiding a horrible mistake (I'm LEAST worried about the plant dying, MUCH more concerned about my CPs than any "normal" plant)

It is a neat looking thing and if it would grow in with my Sarrs I would be happy to do what it takes to at least have a small pot of it...

Thanks for reading this far and thanks in advance for any suggestions/commands/horrorstories you may have to share!!
 
Yessss, that page was one of the ones I checked out which put up caution flags, that's why I asked here, I find that most CP growers have a different take on things, and figured if anyone had experience with these things in a proper bog garden this would be the place to ask...

Any first-hand accounts?? the thing looks harmless enough, which is why I'm worried, but it's in a pot right now and I would like to put a little piece in a bog if it's safe/possible
 
Likes Slightly Acidic, and Says it likes boggy Soils, So if you have a bog or a large Pot I would put it in their, Might make a good adition.

Cheers
 
Okay, after speaking with a hoorticulturalist friend of mine, I have been advised to be REAL careful with it, he says it will destroy EVERYTHING and he would know, being in charge of a lot of local parkland- I will post results of my attempts to contain it in case it gets out of hand despite my efforts, could be some fun, but it is a nice looking plant, hopefully I will not regret it too much (my friend actually told me flat out to burn it to cinders, so caution is advised)
 
So that's the name of the thing in my yard !!!!!! Well yah it can be quite invasive. My Mom planted it in teh front yard in our little field of mint and it took vover the mint and all we got is this; no mroe mint. I'm very sure it can be grown pretty much anywhere (even as a floating aquatic) My mom planted it because it's leaves are edible and it's not bad at all.

Good Luck and Happy Growing,
Goldtrap
 
Dang, if it killed MINT it MUST be trouble!!
The leaves smell like coriander, apparently in Vietnam it is a popular green and I do plan on eating it since I likes me the coriander (with tomatoes and cucumbers all cut up with some tahini-based sauce mmmmmmmmm too early to get this hungry)

I have it in a pot still, it is nice looking enough and the pot is inescapable, and I plan to harvest any flowers and eat them just in case
 
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