Cuckoo's Pint Arum italicum

Italian Arum is a herbaceous perennial and member of the Araceae family. It was originally planted as an ornamental groundcover. It is now considered invasive in some parts of the United States because it is difficult to control and spreads rapidly. All parts of this plant are poisonous to humans and wildlife. The plant can cause skin irritation and illness.

Italian Arum is a native of Asia, Europe, and North Africa. It has been introduced in parts of the United States. The plant may be found in forests, urban areas, riparian zones, and wetlands

The genus name, Arum, is a Greek term meaning 'poisonous." The species name, italicum, means "of Italy."

The plant grows in partial shade to full sun and is tolerant of most soil types. It prefers moist humus soils.  

Italian Arum grows from corms. It has a clump-forming habit. Arrow-shaped deep glossy green foliage with white veining 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. After the flowers are spent, the foliage will wither. The plant then produces clusters of berries that are initially green and then transition to orangish-red that remain through August. The foliage is dormant during the summer and reemerges during the fall. The leaves will remain present in mild winter climates. In colder climates, the leaves will reemerge in the spring. The plant typically grows up to 12-18 inches tall. The plant is reproduced by seeds and tubers.

The plant contains calcium oxalates. If ingested, it will cause throat and tongue swelling that will result in difficulty breathing or possible death. 

The flowers are pollinated by small flies that are attracted to the plant due to the odor of the flowers.

It has been suggested as a plant for cottage gardens, borders, or containers. 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 Arisaema tryphyllum, better known as Jack-in-the-Pulpit.

Quick ID Hints:

• tuberous 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 foliage is dormant in the winter. 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.

Invasive: 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-- Invasive Exotic Plants in NC 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.