Alpine Garden Society

Ulster Group

Plant of the Month, September  2016
   Arisaema flavum  - by William & Hilary McKelvey

We purchased two pots of Arisaema seed at a plant stall a number of years ago; one pot had a label Arisaema jacquemontii but the other no label. Both pots germinated. When they eventually flowered we had jacquemontii and the other was flavum.

Arisaema flavum is a small species widespread across eastern Africa and southern Asia. It has greenish yellow to bright yellow spathes, 2-4cm long held level or just above the foliage, which are borne in summer, followed by green berries turning red in autumn, which we sow beside the parent plant.

 

Germination is good. We grow one plant on the crevice bed in full sun and it grows to approx. 15cm (6”) tall. Another plant is in a slightly shaded bed with richer soil and grows to approx. 20-25cm (8-10”) and seeds well.