Quackin Grass Nursery

Decaisnea insignis - ​​Commonly known as Blue-bean... even better (or worse depending upon your sensibility), Deadman's Fingers. This shrub with its large compound pinnate leaves like large coarse fern fronds is attractive during the growing season – especially when set with a companion sporting bold foliage. Curious dangling racemes of greenish flowers composed of six sepals remind me of other-worldly upside down lily tulips, each flower 1” or larger in diameter. To insure pollination two shrubs are required. A sight to behold follows when dangling “hands” composed of bloated purple-black fingers develop just in time for Halloween. Some autumns the foliage turns golden brown before falling. There has been some back and forth in clumping this distinctly different plant with D. fargesii whose fruit is a not-so-pretty yellow. It is argued that as D. fargesii is geographically distant from D. insignis providing more evidence of distinct specie status. Site Deadman’s Fingers in full to part sun planted in moist and organic soil with an acid Ph. Spring planting is strongly recommended at the northern end of its range. This is a cool shrub that will stump your friends. Cutting grown.