Cobra Lilies Arisaema
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- air-uh-SEE-muh
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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This genus is a perennial bulb in the arum family (Araceae). There are at least 260 species which are native to the Himalayas, China and Japan. Some species are found in southern India, Southeast Asia, northeast Africa and North America. They are found in the temperate and tropical areas of those continents. Those native to North America are usually found in moist woodlands and seasonally flooded low woodlands. The name comes from Greek words meaning “arum” and “red” referring to the red-blotched leaves on some of the species. The Asiatic species are usually called cobra lilies while the Western species are jack-in-the-pulpit.
They prefer humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil in shady areas. Some species do not like moisture during the winter which could lead to root rot. Plant the corm 3-4” deep. Occasionally, they may not bloom one year and reappear the next. Propagate by seeds in spring or fall, or division in spring. Seeds may take 3-5 years to flower. Colonies are formed as cormlets spread. They prefer to be left undisturbed.
The flower is showy and consists of a spathe and spadix. The spadix is an erect, fleshy stem with small flowers surrounded by a leaf-like sheath (spathe) which often looks like a hood. The spathe may be green or purple with stripes or mottled. Usually, the upper half of the spadix is visible, but others extend several times the length of the spathe. The showy compound glossy leaves grow from a single stalk and some shade the flower like an umbrella. Mature plants may produce a cluster of showy red berries in the summer. Normally, the plant is dormant during the summer. Many of them are deer and rabbit-resistant and tolerant of heavy shade. Even though the root is poisonous, it is used as an herbal medicine when dried and processed. Traditional uses include curing rheumatism, stomachache, liver problems, urinary tract diseases, and as a painkiller. Some species in the Minnesota floodplains are classified as a special concern due to land use changes and loss of habitat.
Plant groups in shady woodland, native gardens, or rain gardens.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No serious insect or disease problems. The roots are toxic when ingested by humans.
Additional Arisaema images at Juniper Lever Botanical Gardens
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- A. album
Himalayan native that will grow well in warmer areas of NC - A. amurense
Fast growing Asian variety good for woodland areas - A. candidissimum
Easy to grow, showy 2 feet tall - A. consanguineum
Most popular of the Asian varieties. Showy green and purple spathe - A. dahaiense
Native to China. Able to grow in our climate
A. dracontium
- A. fargesii
China native, easy to grow, showy - A. flavum
Native to China and Africa. 2ft tall
A. heterophyllum
- A. heterophyllum
Asian species, prefers moist to wet soils - A. kiushianum
Easy to grow with showy flowers - A. macrospathum
Native to Mexico - A. mayebarae
From Japan, easy to grow, showy dark purple black spathe, which opens before the foliage - A. quinatum
Five-leaf Jack-in-the-Pulpit native to Eastern USA
A. ringens
- A. saxatile
Native to China. Easy to grow in NC. 15 inches tll - A. serratum
Asian variety, 12 inches tall, easy to grow - A. speciosum
Large 3-lobed leaves and reddish stems - A. taiwanense
From Taiwan, unusual 30 inch tall showy plant - A. thunbergii
Asian species and good garden plant - A. tortuosum
Large 4-6 ft tall with fleshy leaves and green spathe with a long tongue
A. triphyllum
- A. yunnanense
China native that is easy to grow in NC. 18 inches tall
Green Dragon Jack-in-the-Pulpit native to Eastern USA
Asia variey 1 ft tall
Asian variety 1 ft tall emerges early spring
Three-leaf Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Native to much of the US - A. album
- A. album, A. amurense, A. candidissimum, A. consanguineum, A. dahaiense, A. dracontium, A. fargesii, A. flavum, A. heterophyllum, A. heterophyllum, A. kiushianum, A. macrospathum, A. mayebarae, A. quinatum, A. ringens, A. saxatile, A. serratum, A. speciosum, A. taiwanense, A. thunbergii, A. tortuosum, A. triphyllum, A. yunnanense
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- A. album
Himalayan native that will grow well in warmer areas of NC - A. amurense
Fast growing Asian variety good for woodland areas - A. candidissimum
Easy to grow, showy 2 feet tall - A. consanguineum
Most popular of the Asian varieties. Showy green and purple spathe - A. dahaiense
Native to China. Able to grow in our climate
A. dracontium
- A. fargesii
China native, easy to grow, showy - A. flavum
Native to China and Africa. 2ft tall
A. heterophyllum
- A. heterophyllum
Asian species, prefers moist to wet soils - A. kiushianum
Easy to grow with showy flowers - A. macrospathum
Native to Mexico - A. mayebarae
From Japan, easy to grow, showy dark purple black spathe, which opens before the foliage - A. quinatum
Five-leaf Jack-in-the-Pulpit native to Eastern USA
A. ringens
- A. saxatile
Native to China. Easy to grow in NC. 15 inches tll - A. serratum
Asian variety, 12 inches tall, easy to grow - A. speciosum
Large 3-lobed leaves and reddish stems - A. taiwanense
From Taiwan, unusual 30 inch tall showy plant - A. thunbergii
Asian species and good garden plant - A. tortuosum
Large 4-6 ft tall with fleshy leaves and green spathe with a long tongue
A. triphyllum
- A. yunnanense
China native that is easy to grow in NC. 18 inches tall
Green Dragon Jack-in-the-Pulpit native to Eastern USA
Asia variey 1 ft tall
Asian variety 1 ft tall emerges early spring
Three-leaf Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Native to much of the US - A. album
- A. album, A. amurense, A. candidissimum, A. consanguineum, A. dahaiense, A. dracontium, A. fargesii, A. flavum, A. heterophyllum, A. heterophyllum, A. kiushianum, A. macrospathum, A. mayebarae, A. quinatum, A. ringens, A. saxatile, A. serratum, A. speciosum, A. taiwanense, A. thunbergii, A. tortuosum, A. triphyllum, A. yunnanense
- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Arisaema
- Family:
- Araceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used in rituals by Native Americans. The root is used as an herbal medicine when dried and processed.
- Life Cycle:
- Bulb
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Division
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Africa, Asia, North America
- Wildlife Value:
- Pollination by flies.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Bulb
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Native Plant
- Poisonous
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Sand
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Occasionally Wet
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Green
- Red/Burgundy
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Berry
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- The fruit is not part of the spadix. When present on mature plants, they are usually a cluster of red berries.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Green
- Purple/Lavender
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spadix
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Irregular
- Flower Size:
- 3-6 inches
- Flower Description:
- The erect, fleshy spike known as the spadix is enclosed by the petal-like spathe. The tiny flowers are at the base.The spathe may cover the spadix like a hood. The inside and outside of the spathe can be different colors and may have stripes.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Feel:
- Glossy
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Showy
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Shape:
- Lanceolate
- Obovate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Description:
- There are 1-3 leaves which have 3-20 leaflets. Some of the leaf stalks are taller than the salix and provide shade like an umbrella. Leaves vary in size per species.
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Naturalized Area
- Pond
- Woodland
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Rain Garden
- Shade Garden
- Design Feature:
- Border
- Mass Planting
- Small groups
- Attracts:
- Pollinators
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Drought
- Heavy Shade
- Rabbits
- Wet Soil
