Leaf

Michel Gaubert, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0

Lords-and-ladies

Arum maculatum L.

Also known as: Cuckoo pint, Wild arum

Family: Araceae

20 to 40 cm tall

Cool, shady woodland

Flowering: April – May

Full sun

Part shade

Shade

Very hardy, to -20°C

❓ How do you recognise this plant?

Its cluster of bright red berries stands alone on a bare stalk in late summer, long after the leaves have died away.

🍃 Leaves

Arrow-shaped, often spotted with purple, glossy

🌸 Flowers

Long green spathe wrapped around an upright purple spadix

🍎 Fruits

Cluster of bright red toxic berries in late summer

🪵 Bark

Perennial herbaceous plant with an underground tuber.

🗺️ Distribution

Europe; common in cool woodland and shady hedges in France, mainly in the lowlands.

🐝 Value for pollinators

Pollinated by temporarily trapping small midges attracted by the smell of the spathe; of little interest to conventional pollinators.

✂️ Horticultural uses

Woodland and shady corners of the garden, grown for its foliage and decorative red berries, to be kept out of children's reach.

⚠️ Possible toxicity

All parts are toxic if eaten raw; avoid any ingestion. The red fruits are particularly dangerous for children.

ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.

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