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Arum adds color to winter garden
I am always so pleased with the sudden appearance of mine every year that I fertilize it and say kind words to it. It's probably not the best time to fertilize anything, but I always feel extra effort should be rewarded. Arum isn't much of a plant to exclaim over really, but anything green that springs up through my winter mulch grabs my attention. Arum doesn't grow very tall - six or eight inches at the most. The leaves are shiny and arrow-shaped and in some cultivars veined with bright yellow. The short, upright foliage has a lush, tropical look and is impervious to cold. Arum blooms in late spring. The blossoms look a little like those of the calla lily, but are smaller, cream-colored and covered by a light green spathe. Enjoy yours now; it is easily overlooked among spring's bounty of daffodils and tulips. Arum is dormant in hot weather. I'm not exactly sure when mine disappears, but I look for it sometimes in July and the foliage is gone. This plant needs five or six hours of sun a day, but only in winter when it is actively growing. This means that you can plant it under trees that lose their leaves at this time of year. Like just about every other plant in the world, it likes humus-rich, moist soil during its growth stage. Summer dormancy saves it from worry about drought. Though painted arum misses a season or two - unspectacular in spring and absent in fall, it does redeem itself in winter with its bright green growth. Equally welcome is the summer display of bright red seeds that appear along the prominent bloom stalk. Winter in the garden can be discouraging, but a painted arum or two in your garden will help you through until the daffodils bloom.
Dora Garrick Fleming lives in Grove Hill. E-mail her at: dorafleming@galaxycable.net.
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