Arum italicum

The Arum italicum, also known as Italian Arum, Italian False Arum or Cuckoo Pint, is a small wild plant related to Arums that is sometimes found under large trees in old gardens where birds have sown it. Its foliage, with its discreet elegance, more or less veined and marbled, is decorative in autumn and winter. Its cone-shaped, upright yellowish flowers are original without being spectacular, but they are followed by the formation of brilliantly coloured red-orange fruits. Native to southern Europe and North Africa, this shade-loving perennial is perfectly adapted to very dry summers. It can be used to dress shaded areas of the garden.

Arum italicum  belongs to the Araceae family. It is a stemless herbaceous plant, perennial by its tuberous roots, deciduous in summer. This species is native to France, where it is found throughout the Midi region, in the west and in the centre of the country. The Italian arum, resistant to cold, is present throughout the Mediterranean region as well as in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Russia, and Ukraine. Where it is happy, the Italian Arum can be prolific and sometimes invasive.

The foliage emerges from the ground in autumn, reaching about 30 cm (12in) in height. It consists of several arrow-shaped leaves, measuring 9 to 40 cm (4 to 16in) in length and 2 to 29 cm (1 to 11in) in width. The leaf lamina is shiny, dark green, usually with light-coloured areas along the veins, ranging from white to cream and yellow-green. Flowering takes place in March-April. The flowering, typical of Araceae, consists of a stalk supporting a white-greenish to yellowish cone-shaped spathe, which in turn surrounds a column-shaped spadix. The whole structure measures about 35 cm (14in) in height. Pollination is carried out by flies and some beetles. The fruits are round and shiny berries, orange-red in colour, tightly packed together. The foliage dries up after flowering, at the end of spring, while the plant goes into dormancy. In cold climates, new leaves also emerge from the ground in autumn, disappear in winter, and then re-emerge in early spring.

Arum italicum is a very easy plant to grow in our not overly cold regions. It grows without care and adds a touch of elegance and originality along a pathway or at the base of flowering bushes. It pairs beautifully with other shade-loving perennials. At the edge of a border, it blends nicely with Hellebores, Algerian Iris, and small bulbs like crocuses, botanical narcissus, or Naples cyclamens. 

Caution: Italian Arum is a toxic plant if ingested in any part.