Speaking of Arum

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Thu, 11 Mar 2010 15:13:12 PST
>Plants do have a way of keeping us guessing, don’t they Aaron?

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 +


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