Arum pictum
Autumn arum, Black calla, Black arum
- Height × spread
- 0.3m × 0.3m
- Position
- All conditions
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Flowers
- Autumn
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
A handsome plant found growing in many places around the Mediterranean including Sardinia, Crete, Corsica and Sardinia. The leaves are large, quite smooth and glossy, arrow-shaped with paler veins on some specimens. The leaves are a feature from autumn, and die down again the following spring. The flowers appear in autumn and form spathes (upright ovals) that are coloured in dark shades of purple maroon with a blue-black spadix (central columnar part) at its heart. The flowers have an unpleasant scent. The fruits appear in mid to late summer, standing on stout green stems, and are green turning orange as they develop. This may be hardy enough to live outside.
- Flower colour
- Purple
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Fruit colour
- Orange
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Cube
- Height
- 0.3m
- Spread
- 0.3m
- Season of interest
- Autumn, Winter
- Flowers in
- Autumn
- Evergreen
- Deciduous
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Shady court, Indoors, Cottage garden, Conservatory
- Sun or shade
- All conditions
- Soil type
- Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Damp and wet soil, Well drained soil
- Hardiness
- Cold to -15C (RHS H5)
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Indoor light
- A light position not direct sun
- Indoor temperature
- 0C minimum temperature
- Use for
- Bird attraction
- Hazards
- Yes, plant with caution; Humans: CAUTION toxic if eaten; skin/eye irritant
AutumnNow
Autumn · Planting
Divide after flowering
Clumps that have become congested can be lifted, divided and replanted with some space between the bulbs, corms, or rhizomes so that they can further develop, producing new foliage clumps in the future.
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Indoors
Feed with houseplant food monthly
Give the plant a balanced houseplant feed monthly while in growth.
Where food elements are listed as three numeric values on the label representing in order Nitrogen(N)-Phosphorus(P)-Potassium(K), with percentage values for each, choose one where the values are more or less equal.
Spring-Autumn · Indoors
Water regularly during growth
Water regularly while in growth.
Adopt a regime that means the plants are thoroughly watered every week so that they do not become dessicated. In hot weather watering may need to be more frequent, but less often in cool or moist conditions.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Feed with houseplant food monthly
Give the plant a balanced houseplant feed monthly while in growth.
Where food elements are listed as three numeric values on the label representing in order Nitrogen(N)-Phosphorus(P)-Potassium(K), with percentage values for each, choose one where the values are more or less equal.
Winter
Winter · Indoors
Water sparingly during dormancy
In its dormant period give very little water, keeping the soil barely moist. Dormancy is likely to be during the winter and the plant recommences growth in early to mid spring.
When a plant enters dormancy the leaves fade, go yellow and then brown. Eventually the whole plant may 'disappear' or unadorned stems may remain.
Planting & general
Compost · Planting
Houseplant compost for repotting
Repot using any good quality house plant compost.
Indoor temperature · Planting
0C minimum temperature
This plant requires a minimum temperature of 0 Centigrade.
Indoor plant · Planting
Position in indirect light indoors
Give the plant a position that is cool and light, and away from direct sunshine.
Found in
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