TOW - British Native bulbs - Arums

Robin Attrill Robin@rpattrill.freeserve.co.uk
Mon, 24 Feb 2003 13:54:36 PST
Alberto et al,

'Lords and Ladies' is one of the many colloquial names for the two species
of Arum native to the british isles, Arum maculatum and A. italicum.
Personally I think they are attractive plants but the former is far from
popular in UK gardens, as it tends to seed freely and the berries are
reputedly toxic. It occurs in both purple and yellow spadix forms in mixed
populations, and the leaves are frequently speckled with dark markings.  The
latter is a scarcer, generally coastal species, rather larger and with a
yellow spadix. Unfortunately the UK plants which fall into the form
neglectum (which is sometimes considered to be a separate taxon), rarely
possess the conspicuously pale veined foliage of more southerly populations.

regards

Robin Attrill


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