Jack-in-the-pulpit
Arisaema amurense
Jack-in-the-pulpit - Arisaema amurense.

This group consists of more than 190 deciduous, tuberous-rooted plants belonging to the Arum family, Araceae. (The flowers of the plants of the family, Araceae, are packed on a long spike, called a spadix, which is surrounded by a wide, petal-like, often attractive spathe. An example is the Calla Lily. To see an example of an aroid flower, look up spathe or spadix in our dictionary.) Arisaemas are mostly found wild in the Far East and North America. These plants produce attractive one- to three-lobed, glossy green leaves and interesting flowers in the spring or early summer. The unusual flowers consist of a slender, flower spadix, which is completely surrounded by a spathe, unlike other aroid flowers, which have a spathe usually growing to one side of the spadix. A triphyllum (Jack-in-the-Pulpit; Indian Turnip) and Arisaema dracontium (Dragon Root; Green Dragon) are both hardy natives of North America and thrive in woodlands where temperatures do not fall below -20 F. Jack-in-the-Pulpit grows from 1 to 3 feet high and Green Dragon reaches a height up to 4 feet. The flowers of these varieties are striped with green and purplish brown. A speciosum is a tender kind, which grows up to 18 inches high, and has white flower spathes in the spring. All varieties produce red or orangish-red berries in the summer and autumn.

Potting of arisaema

Arisaemas can be grown in flower beds, woodland settings, and in containers. The hardy kinds can tolerate temperatures down to -20 F, but the tender kinds need a minimum temperature of 50 F. (The tender species can be grown indoors in cooler climates.) They need moderate to well-drained, slightly acidic soil, such as equal parts of loam and leaf mold with an addition of coarse sand. Plant the tubers about 4 inches deep and 10 to 12 inches apart in the fall. (Most Arisaemas are sold in containers in the spring, however, not as tubers.) They should have a light to medium shade and plenty of water during the growing season. The best time to repot old plants is in early spring when new growth begins.

Propagation of arisaema

Separate and pot the tuberous roots in the spring as soon as new growth in seen. Offsets may be detached in the fall and potted. Ripe seeds can also be sown indoors. The seedlings can be planted outside in the spring or fall.

Eng.: Jack-in-the-pulpit.