Speaking of Arum
James Waddick (Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:13:12 PST)

Dear Aaron and all,
Isn't that true.

I have tried a number of Arum and am
surprised at success. Not just italicum and
maculatum, but nigrum and byzantinus are fine
here as well as hygrophyllum (sp?) and rupicola
(from Jane) . A. dioscoridis has survived various
times here and I may still have a small patch of
sintenisii. A. concinnatum is just OK in the cold
frame.

And if those who are interested have
never tried the cv 'Chameleon', it is terrific.
Large foliage marked wildly with silver lines,
spots, blotches and streaks. I think it is
straight italicum, but the final decision is
unclear. The flowers look a lot like italcum.
Ellen Hornig offers an excellent selection at
Seneca Hills Perennials.

Most of these have foliage in the fall
and it is often badly damaged, but new foliage
emerges in spring and all bloom, although some
better than others. Most produce seed, too.

Even more surprising is a sturdy group of
Biarum tenuifolium out in the open in a raised
bed although I have yet to see it bloom. And
then there's the hardy Typhonium, Dracunculus,
Amorphophallus and other fascinating aroid genera.

Go Arum! Jim W.

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +