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Arum maculatum
Also called Cuckoo Pint, Lords And Ladies, Adam And Eve, Wild Arum, Jack In The Pulpit, Lords And Ladies [arum Maculatum], Wake Robin
Arum maculatum is a woodland tuberous perennial from Europe and western Asia, grown mainly in shady, moist gardens. It is best left in woodland or wild areas, since every part of the plant irritates and the berries are poisonous.
Arum maculatum, commonly known as cuckoopint, jack-in-the-pulpit and other names (see common names), is a woodland flowering plant species in the family Araceae. It is native across most of Europe, as well as Eastern Turkey and the Caucasus.
All parts of the plant can produce allergic reactions in many people and the plant should be handled with care.
The attractive berries are extremely poisonous to many animals, including humans, but harmless to birds, which eat them and propagate the seeds. They contain oxalates of saponins, which have needle-shaped crystals that irritate the skin, mouth, tongue, and throat, and result in swelling of throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain, and upset stomach. However, their acrid taste, coupled with the almost immediate tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed, means that large amounts are rarely taken and serious harm is unusual. It is one of the most common causes of accidental plant poisoning based on attendance at hospital emergency departments.
It grows in woodland areas and riversides. It can occasionally grow as a weed in partly shaded spots.
Apulian Lords And Ladies · Arum · Cretan Arum · Mountain Arum · Italian lords and ladies · Sintenis Arum · Arum Lilies
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Arum maculatum by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
Pet safety from the ASPCA toxic and non-toxic plant lists.
