Cuckoo Pint Arum italicum

Italian arum is an herbaceous perennial groundcover and a member of the arum family (Araceae). Italian arum is native to Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It is considered invasive in some parts of the United States because it is difficult to control and spreads rapidly. The genus name, Arum, is a Greek term meaning 'poisonous." The species name, italicum, is Latin for “Italian."

The plant grows in partial shade to full sun and is tolerant of most soil types. It prefers moist humus soils. It thrives in conditions that mimic its native riparian and woodland habitats. Once planted, Italium arum spreads rapidly via corm-forming rhizomes.

Italian Arum grows from corms. It has a clump-forming habit. Arrow-shaped, deep glossy green foliage appears in late September or early October. It is present through the winter months. The hood-like flowers usually appear in April and May. The flower has a central spadix and is surrounded by a creamy white-colored spathe. The flowers are pollinated by small flies that are attracted to the plant due to the odor of the flowers. After the flowers are spent, the foliage will wither. The plant produces clusters of berries that are initially green and then ripen to orangish-red. They remain through August. The plant is dormant during the summer, and the foliage reemerges during the fall. The leaves will remain present in mild climates. In colder climates, the leaves will reemerge in the spring. The plant typically grows up to 12 to 18 inches tall. The plant is reproduced by seeds and corms.

Cultivars with strong white variegation are the most popular. This plant has been used in cottage gardens, borders, or shade gardens. Before considering this plant for your home garden, it is best to determine if this species is considered invasive in your area. It would also be a wonderful opportunity to discover other US native plants that have similar features such as Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema tryphyllum). Alternatively, keep the plant confined in a container and remove fruits before they are ripe.

Quick ID Hints:

• Corm-forming rhizomatous roots
• arrow-shaped leaf deep green leaves with silver-gray veining
• the flowers have an erect, slender, pale to a dark yellow or dull brown spadix
• the spadix is surrounded by a creamy white spathe with purplish margins
• the flower has the odor of stale urine
• cylinder-like spike of green to orangish-red berry clusters

Insects, Diseases, and Other Problems: The plant has no serious insect or disease problems. The plant is very difficult to control and spreads by seeds and underground corms. Manual removal is difficult. If removed, all parts of the plant should be placed in the trash and not your compost bin. It has deep roots and underground bulbs that make it difficult to eradicate. Be sure to wear gloves and protective clothing when handling this plant. All the plant parts can cause skin irritation. The species is invasive on the West Coast and the Mid-Atlantic United States. There are no effective ways to control the plant, and it is unresponsive to herbicides. The North Carolina Native Plant Society placed Italian arum on the Watch List Class A in 2010. This list includes plants that naturalize and may become problem plants in the future but more information is required. 

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.