Cleaning Arum seeds - the easy way.

James Waddick jwaddick@kc.rr.com
Thu, 01 Aug 2013 08:29:45 PDT
Dear Jane,

	I think it should be obvious that there are a lot of aroids with differing degrees of irritating chemicals, just as there is a range of skin sensitivities.

	I am usually fairly sensitive (poison Ivy and such), but I can clean a couple of heads of Arum, Drancunculus or Helicodicerous using bare hands and running water. I do make sure that each fruit is well ripened so the pulp is easy to rub off. 

	I put the head(s) in a small wide bowl and break fruits free of stem. Then run luke warm to cool water and rub fruits together vigorously, squeezing as needed to remove the pulp. Fresh fertile seeds sink, but do not run the water so fast they can wash away.  Sloshing and swirling gets rid of pulp. Rub them dry with paper towels and wash your hands with a good hand soap when you are done. 

	As a precaution do not touch eye, nose, mouth etc until hands are fully clean. 

	I don't do a lot of seeds at a time or a lot of fruit head, but have never had a problem.    Best		Jim W. 

On Jul 29, 2013, at 8:14 PM, Jane McGary wrote:

> Since I got some of my more unusual Arum species out of their pots 

>  What is the best way to clean a quantity of this seed? I know one shouldn't handle it without gloves.




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