Italian Arum

Italian Arum (Arum italicum)

Italian Lords-and-Ladies, Painted Arum

Part shade to full shade, moderately moist to well-drained; tolerates clay; pH 5.5–7.0; summer-dormant, active October through May.

30–45 cm tall in leaf; arrow-shaped leaves with silver-green marbling emerge in fall and persist through spring; bloom inconspicuous in spring; bright orange-red berry clusters on bare stalks are conspicuous July–September after foliage dies back.

Division of offsets in summer dormancy (July–August) is the standard propagation method; berries are toxic and should not be used as seed sources in household gardens.

Native region: Not native to Tennessee; ornamental introduction from the Mediterranean region.

Italian arum is valued for its counter-seasonal leaf emergence — foliage appears in October when most perennials are dying back and persists through May, filling the ground plane under deciduous trees during the dormant season in Middle Tennessee. The silver-marbled leaves of the cultivar 'Pictum' are particularly ornamental. The toxic orange berries that follow dormancy provide late-summer interest but are a hazard around children and pets; this is worth noting when siting near play areas. Spreads steadily by offsets in suitable shaded, moist conditions — can become difficult to remove once established in preferred sites.