Jolly Green Giant

For those of you who live in Minnesota but secretly wish you resided in the tropics, there is a plant that can help you live out your fantasy, at least visually. Introducing Astilboides tabularis, a freakishly large plant from northern China whose massive leaves resemble nearly life-sized umbrellas. This perennial lends the shade garden a unique jungle-like feel with gorgeous foliage and a handsome if unspectacular bloom seemingly borrowed from goatsbeard. Best planted in shady locations in a soil rich in organic matter.