I remember the first time I ever laid eyes on Podophyllum delavayi . I was an overnight guest at my good friend Dan Hinkley’s house at his (sadly) now closed Heronswood Nursery near Seattle. I was allowed to look in the ‘off-limits’ private greenhouses, which were literally a treasure trove of rarities. It was late February, and the choicest Hepaticas, Hellebores and lots of unfamiliar plants were in bloom inside the  cool , opaque polyfilm tunnels. When my eyes fell upon the velvety, patterned leaves of whatever it was, I bellowed out ‘Oh My God’ or something similar. From outside, and dozens of feet away I heard Dan reply ‘I know what you’re looking at!’
                It was two plants of Podophyllum delavayi. The most beautiful leaf I have ever seen.(And I have seen a lot of leaves). Dan had brought them back from Japan (although they evolved in China).  I had to have one. Eventually , Dan got me one from Japan, and I still have it.
               As the years went by, other people got hold of this wonderful plant, and it was eventually cloned ! Just like ‘Dolly The Sheep’ .  The selected plant to be cloned was a very good one for patterning and rich colouration, and was named ‘Spotty Dotty’ by Terra Nova Nurseries, who introduced it to the trade.  It was not an easy plant to clone, not inexpensive,  and is now very hard to find….. nearly impossible.  The irony is that it is easy to grow in a shady spot or in a pot. My best plant is in a pot and escapes slug damage this way.  Podophyllums are a very interesting group of plants for Zone 7 or 8 gardeners – you have to have one. And then another….
                                 As I write this (mid-March) , we have six wonderful plants of ‘Spotty Dotty’ for sale, at $49.99 each .