Arum 2008

[Tony Willis]

Not one I would grow in a pot,it seems to do much better in the garden. It is a big hearty plant and needs a lot of root room.I would expect about four years from sowing to flowering.Here are a couple of pictures of it growing under a dwarf cherry to give an idea of its size

[Paul T]

OK, I'll bight the bullet and plant some into the ground somewhere.  I do hope it doesn't become a menace!!    Would like some flowers from it one of these years though, so if it does then it was probably worth it!! 

Thanks all.

Anthony,

Don't be greedy..... mine was bought as an adult plant and after 10 years it still hasn't flowered..... wanting flowers 4 years after sowing SEED is just plain greediness!! 

[Maggi Young]

Paul, in your climate I would certainly plant them out. I would be VERY surprised if they spread much at all. If you are lucky they will make a very stately clump and lookk very smart, just as Tony's do in England......I don't think they'll manage that well outside in Scotland!

[Tony Willis]

Maggie

I do not think Dunblane is any colder than here and  this species is a mountain plant in Crete where it  gets covered in snow.I think it needs rich moist ground in the spring to flower.

[Paul T]

Tony,

Eeeeek!    You mean I'm going to have to give it a GOOD area as well?  Rich and moist in this garden are prime positions, as they have to be worked at quite hard!!    I'll see what I can do.  I'm assuming full sun as well?

[Maggi Young]

Here in Aberdeen, and in Dunblane, (which as Anthony Darby always tells us, is actually Atlantis renamed ) the prblem is not the cold, as Ian's Bulb Log photos of Arum creticum utterly collapsed with frost then happily recovered and flowering well..... problem is that of summer wet...... Cretan mountain tops have less rain and rather better drainage than we can manage in Scotland, Tony!!

[Tony Willis]

Maggie

I do not want to get into the 'I have more than you' discussion because I cannot find the statistics without paying for them.So I will only say I have not watered the garden in the last five years.Last summer I only was able to mow the lawn four times and I have candelabra primulas self seeding in it and my fish often leave the pond to have a swim around the garden. That is wet. We have our own little micro climate,its chief feature is it rains most days of the year. It is a totally depressing place to live although there are probably worse.

I am stuck in the house writing this because it is raining,will just have to do some repotting.

[Paul T]

Tony,

Oh My Goodness..... the thought of not having to water your garden is just SUCH a luxury.  Not having to spend all that time watering every couple of days would be so wonderful.  I am JEALOUS as anything. (to put it mildly). 

[Maggi Young]

Last summer I only was able to mow the lawn four times and I have candelabra primulas self seeding in it and my fish often leave the pond to have a swim around the garden. That is wet. We have our own little micro climate,its chief feature is it rains most days of the year. It is a totally depressing place to live although there are probably worse.

I am stuck in the house writing this because it is raining,will just have to do some repotting.

Crikey, Tony, now I know why you travel so much! 

I suppose the position of the arum by the dwarf cherry must give it some assistance in using up all that extra water....a pointer perhaps to a successful planting spot for others wishing to try it outside.

[Anthony Darby]

Tony, waterlilies rot in Dunblane because it's too wet. I will try some outside as I'm redoing a west facing bed.

[Tony Willis]

The first of my arums is now in flower.It is one of the Turkish 'flag' ones and stands about 2 feet tall

arum rupicola, turkey

[Paul T]

Tony,

Not sure I've seen A. rupicola before, although the name rings bells (is it a subspecies of something else?  ).  Interesting flower, with a very prominent spadix.  Nice!

[Tony Willis]

Paul

rupicola is a true species formerly conophalloides which is widespread across Turkey and Iran.

here is the next one which is euxinum which is rare in cultivation but very easy to grow

[Lesley Cox]

That is a beautiful spathe Tony.

[Tony Willis]

Lesley they are one of my passions,so intricate in their form,plenty more to come