General Culture:

Best grown in medium moisture, consistently moist, humusy, organically rich soils in part shade to full shade. Not reliably winter hardy throughout USDA Zone 5 where it should be planted in a protected location. New leaves emerge in autumn and are evergreen in warm winter climates. However, in cold winter climates such as the St. Louis area, the leaves die in winter with new leaves emerging in early spring. In all climates, foliage goes dormant in summer.

Noteworthy Characteristics:

This arum, sometimes commonly called Italian arum, is a stemless woodland species native to Europe. Typically grows 12-18" tall. It resembles our native Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema tryphyllum - see J400). Each flower consists of (1) an erect, finger-like spadix covered with minute, creamy white flowers and (2) a large, sheath-like, light green spathe (bract) which subtends and partially envelops the spadix like a hood. Flowers produced in spring. Arrowhead-shaped, long-petioled, glossy grayish-green leaves with pale green midribs are 8-12" long. After bloom, the leaves and spathe die back leaving only the thick spadix which develops attractive, bright orange-red berries in summer. New leaves emerge in autumn and remain evergreen in warm winter climates but die back in cold winter climates such as St. Louis where they emerge again in early spring. All parts of this plant are toxic.