Spotted aroid, Arum maculatum – profile and care

The spotted arum is extremely easy to care for, hardly any care is necessary at the optimal location. If the plants are in partial shade, for example on the edge of a wood, and the soil is fresh, nutrient-rich, loose and deep, you hardly have to do anything.

The rhizome bulbs must be planted in the right direction and at the appropriate depth. Once acclimated, they should not be transplanted. In spring and early summer, watering is plentiful, but you can leave it off from midsummer onwards. You can fertilize, preferably with compost or an organic fertilizer. A cut can be omitted. Propagation is easy, both by seed and by separating bulbs. The spotted arum is sufficiently hardy and is hardly attacked by diseases and pests. Care should be taken when the plant self-seeds. The seeds germinate meters away and plants sprout everywhere. Removing them is quite difficult. Sometimes you run into a real problem.

location

The location should be semi-shady. Too much sun, but also too much shade has a rather unfavorable effect. The plants are ideally placed at the edge of the wood, under deciduous plants. So they have enough shade in summer and enough light in the budding season.

• Very light penumbra
• Gladly under deciduous trees – woody edge
• Slightly cool location
• The deeper the shade, the sparser the flower and the fewer berries
• Especially in combination with other spring flowering plants such as lungwort and wild garlic
• The location, together with the substrate, is crucial for the good development of the spotted aroid

plant substrate

The plant substrate should be fresh, nutritious, quite loose and permeable. Deep loamy and clayey soils are well suited, where the plants feel comfortable and thrive.

• Moist leafy soil (rich in humus and moist)
• Fundamentally fresh, nutrient-rich, loose and mostly deep loam and clay soil
• permeable
• Slightly sour soil
• Not too dry, but not really wet either
• No waterlogging

plant

When planting, pay attention to the right location. The plants also need some space and should not be placed too close to the trees. The place should be chosen well, because they do not like transplanting.

• Planting distance 40 to 50 cm
• 10 plants per square meter
• If possible, do not transplant
• roots very deep
• In small tuffs, 3 to 10 plants
• Only touch tubers or plants with gloves
• The tip of the tuber must point upwards. Plant twice as deep as the bulb is thick.
• Press the soil firmly.
• Pour plenty!

watering and fertilizing

Watering is especially important in the early stages of the growing season. Then the soil should not dry out. Later, from midsummer, no additional watering is usually necessary. Compost is suitable as fertilizer.

• Keep moist spring to early summer
• Depending on the location, the water requirement is quite high during the growing season
• Water regularly
• Keep almost dry from summer to autumn (dormant period)
• The incorporation of compost and organic fertilizer in the spring is recommended

To cut

There is not much to cut with the spotted arum. The leaves will wilt and, once completely withered, can be cut off or simply pulled out of the ground. If you want to prevent the plant from self-seeding, you have to cut off the infructescence in good time, in any case before the berries are ripe and bright red. If you leave the thick stalk, it will wither too and can be pulled out.

hibernate

Most Arun species are not hardy. The spotted aroid is an exception. The plants are very hardy. They also sprout very early in the year, sometimes as early as February. The plants are quite tough.

• Very frost hardy to about minus 20°C
• The plants survive the winter well without protection.

multiply

The spotted aroid is easy to propagate. Sowing is easy, but the plants often take over and spread out terribly, forcing you to contain them again. In addition, bulbs can be divided and planted separately.

• Sowing or bulbs
• Self-sowing and can therefore multiply quite vigorously
• If you want to prevent this, you have to remove the red pods before they ripen
• Kaltkeimer
• The seeds need to be stratified, so they need cold treatment
• Sowing temperatures between 10 and 15°C
• Too high temperatures prevent germination.
• It is best to place the containers with the seeds in a sheltered place outdoors
• Germination either in late autumn or early spring
• Seedling plants should preferably be kept frost-free and sunny in the first winter, at a minimum temperature of 5°C
• Plant out in the second spring after sowing

diseases and pests

Diseases and pests are extremely rare.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does fertilization work in the spotted aroid? Do you need multiple plants for this?
Only one plant is required. The so-called piston is able to develop considerable heat. This releases odorous substances that are somewhat reminiscent of urine or decay, not tasty for humans, but for the tiny butterfly gnats, which are important for fertilization. They penetrate the cauldron late in the evening when the spathe opens. They can no longer get out because the walls of the boiler are too smooth and the downward-pointing bristles prevent the insects from getting in. The insects are crawling all over the place looking for a way. They pollinate the flower. Before they are released, they are dusted with pollen for the next blossom. As a rule, the butterfly gnats get out again the next day. They usually make their way straight to the next flower.

Is the spotted arum also poisonous to animals?
Yes, very much. Horses, cattle, cows, sheep, pigs, dogs, cats, rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and birds are affected. Symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, cardiac arrhythmia, and in worse cases, liver and kidney damage.