Saturday, July 12, 2008

The Snake Emerges


Arisaema galeatum is an Asian jack in the pulpit that I'm rather thrilled to have growing in the garden; it is rated zone 7 by most; also it is native to the Himalayas and jack in the pulpits from these mountains tend to rot in the ground in climates like ours...yet galeatum has done well here for several years with no protection. The inflorescence arises from a short stalk near the base of the main plant stalk, and rapidly enlarges into a "helmet" striped with green and white. As they say, this plant is large in all of its parts, and needs to be moist in growth; a hot wind and dry soil will suck the life out of it in a few hours. I imagine it would prefer a cool mountain valley over Iowa in July, yet here it still is. Maybe it thinks it's a cornstalk.

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Comments:
It definitely has an exotic look as it emerges. Enjoying cool weather is a positive attribute in a plant ;).
 
Don, that sure looks like a stunner to me, but I doubt we'd have your luck with it. It probably couldn't handle our scorchers in July and August, the reason I've given up on growing Delphiniums other than Blue Butterfly and Blue Elf. Looks great in your garden though!
 
The exotic plants are really fascinating but I think Im too far north to be so venturesome!
 
Northern gardener... this year is to the liking of the Asian jacks; speciosum is almost five foot tall.

IVG... one of these days it will probably turn to mush here, too... but it's nice while we have it.

Troutbirder... plant very deep and pray... that's my secret.

Don
 
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