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zamoey

By Zamoey

West Sussex, United Kingdom Gb

Hi, could someone tell me what this is please, its all over my garden and is it easy to get rid of?
Many thanks



Img_1901

Answers

 

Its Arum italicum, commonly known as cuckoo pint, or lords and ladies. Sometimes planted deliberately in shady areas as ground cover, often in association with Hostas, but grows wild as well. Not sure how easy it is to get rid of - have you tried digging it out, roots and all?

27 Jan, 2012

 

I've just had a quick look on line - its one of those which, if you leave a tiny fragment of root behind, it grows again. I'd hit it with glyphosate when its growing strongly, then dig it out a week or so later, carefully extracting roots. Note that weedkiller alone is unlikely to polish it off.

27 Jan, 2012

 

I agree with you regarding Arum italicum, Bamboo, but Lords and Ladies is Arum maculatum. Minor point.
Appart from that, yes, difficult to get rid off. For it to spread like this I would guess that your garden is shady and on the damp side, Zamoey? Whilst I try to encourage it, if I wanted to get rid of it I would use Roundup - carefully. Why not leave it as a ground cover plant - super leaves - and grow taller woodland plants in the garden?

27 Jan, 2012

 

Thank you Bamboo and Bulbaholic, I quite like the look of the plant and will probably leave it to grow in the more wooded areas but just need to rid it where I want to grow vegetables, thanks again.

27 Jan, 2012

 

That's interesting Bulba - but on the web, it gives lords and ladies as an alternative for this version too... guess it depends where you are what its commonly known as. I just call it Arum, personally.

27 Jan, 2012

 

Strange, that - it grows quite freely, but not invasively in our garden, which as lots of you will know is hardly damp, or shady. In fact, it grows in two of the driest parts. Given its name, I shouldn't be surprised, I suppose. I think it makes a very attractive plant, and if you can spare the space, keep hold of it. I'm certain it's not what you would class as Lords and Ladies or arum lily in the UK - this is bigger and bolder in every respect. I haven't ever tried to eradicate it, so I can't advise on that.

27 Jan, 2012

 

The native Arum maculatum has a huge number of common names. It usually had spotted leaves, but not always.It is found all over Britain. Arum italicum always has plain leaves in its native form. It is only found on the South coast of mainland Britain. The one picture here is probably Arum italicum Marmoratum. They actually grow from corms/bulbs which is why they are so hard to get rid of. Around each bulb there may be dozens of baby ones.

27 Jan, 2012

 

I wonder if the ones south coast are/were garden escapees, Owdboggy? It is more usually associated with the south of Europe especially italy, hence its name. It grows very nicely in northern Scotland, including our own garden.

27 Jan, 2012

 

If it's not too cold tomorrow, and if the garden is intact after our earthquake this afternoon, I shall venture outside with the camera to see if ours are still in leaf. They do look remarkably like the picture.

27 Jan, 2012

 

It is most definitely Arum, Gattina - I suspect Owdboggy's right with the varietal name.

27 Jan, 2012

 

Oh, no doubt about it, is there, Bamboo?

27 Jan, 2012

 

Nope.

27 Jan, 2012

 

so glad you asked this.I have one plant of this and did not know what it was,It is attractive though.Does it have any flowers or berries ?

27 Jan, 2012

 

Hi Jenfren, no it doesn't have any berries or flowers at the moment that is, just nice looking leaves.

27 Jan, 2012

 

Forms bright red berries in autumn on short stalks. Which I think, if memory serves, are poisonous.

27 Jan, 2012

 

The berries are poisonous, but there have been no cases of anyone dying from eating them for a very long time. Why? Because after one berry you cannot eat any more. The sensation is described as being like having a mouthful of very sharp needles.

27 Jan, 2012

 

No it is not easy to get rid of, but with persistence you can get rid of it. If you don't want it to spread then remove the berries when they appear. This, for me, is similar to celandine and dandelion, in that if you leave one tiny little bit of a bulb/corn or root it will come back. If you want to dig up the plants, then be prepared to go deep, and watch out for all the little plantlets at the bottom. The tops break very, very easily off the corns at the base, and then seem to camaflouge into the soil!! If you weed kill, use a glyphosate based spot weedkiller, but even then be prepared to do repeat doses.

27 Jan, 2012

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