By Randa
South Glamorgan, United Kingdom
Does anyone know what this is? Its grown through the winter all through my strawb patch. I thought it could be bindweed but it doesnt have any tendrils or climbers.
Quite an inexperienced gardener so sorry if this is a silly question!
- 15 Apr, 2010
Answers
That me deariio is Arum maculatum, Cuckoo Pint, Lords and Ladies, Angles and Saxons and 14 other local names too. It is a bit of a thug spreading both by seeds and bulbs. Dig it out and/or weedkiller it.
15 Apr, 2010
I actually bought bulbs of these last Autumn after seeing them in a relations garden. They are so lovely when the the berries appear, I hope mine dont turn into thugs.
15 Apr, 2010
Beat me to it Owdboggy, I have this growing all over my wood always seem to miss the flowers but agree the berries are pretty Dawn :-)
15 Apr, 2010
Looks like lord and ladies as Owdboggy has mentioned. I also have these and agree with Dawnsanut they are lovely. The wild ones are poisionus ,unsure about cultivated ones though,best be careful when handling them. x snake
15 Apr, 2010
They is ok in a wild garding. We have them in our wood and the variegated one too Arum italicum.
15 Apr, 2010
Do they spread freely guys?
15 Apr, 2010
yep they can do. The flowers have a slight carrion smell to attract the flies that pollinate them. This is a nice marble leaf form and all parts are mildly poisonous but why eat them.
15 Apr, 2010
You would be a very strange person if you did manage to eat the berries. It is described as being like trying to chew needles.
16 Apr, 2010
The yellow flowering one is particularly attractive, but this winter it has been hit hard, It doesn't seem to be as invasive as Owdboggy makes out.
16 Apr, 2010
The pure yellow flowered one is Arum creticum perhaps, that is slightly tender and does not spread. Arum maculatum has green/yellow spathes and to show you how spreading it is, when we moved here 15 years ago there was a single plant about a mile down the road. It is now the most common leaf to be seen at present from there, all the way down the lane on both sides to us. The only thing more spreading on our lane is Ground elder!
16 Apr, 2010
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It is not a silly question!!!!! If you don't know what it is you just dont know. we gardeners can't expect to know everything. Sorry Randa I don't know what is is either. But I know 1 thing someone on here will
15 Apr, 2010