Seneca Hill Perennials

One of our long-term projects is to select outstanding forms of A. italicum. We have some amazing plants under evaluation, and hope to introduce one next year.

Arum fans will be interested to hear that Peter Boyce has decided that the distinction between A. italicum subsp. italicum and A. italicum subsp. neglectum is not warranted, and that plants from both groups should now be lumped together under a single subspecies, A. italicum subsp. italicum (The Plantsman, RHS, New Series Vol. 5 Part 1, March 2006: 36-39). This certainly makes life easier for arum collectors. All our cultivars can now be treated as A. italicum subsp. italicum; so for simplicity, we are omitting the subspecies here and just listing cultivar names.

CULTURE: All arums follow a Mediterranean growth cycle, meaning they begin active growth some time between early fall and late winter, and go dormant as summer arrives. Several will tolerate a cold climate; if the foliage winter-kills, they are capable of developing new leaves in spring. However, they will never look as lush as they will where winters are warmer and they can photosynthesize throughout the winter. If you have a cold greenhouse (above freezing) you may want to try them in pots, where they make imposing specimens. Pot-grown arums should be fed and watered generously when in growth, but kept dry when dormant. Garden-grown plants need good drainage, but not dessication. Be aware that by the time these are shipped in spring, they may be entering dormancy (you will have to determine this by inspecting the condition of the foliage). If this is the case, and you intend to grow them as pot plants, allow them to go completely dormant before moving them to larger pots. If you are putting them into the garden, water them in when you plant them and then leave them alone.

For more information consult Peter Boyce's beautifully-illustrated monograph, The Genus Arum (A Kew Magazine Monograph; The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, 1993).

Arum italicum 'Belldene' (formerly sold as "Grimshaw's form")

From John Grimshaw, and named after his parents' property, Belldene, as that is where the original plant grows. A strongly marked 'Pictum' type with a deep green base color and veins surrounded by a wide white area - quite similar to the selection offered below as "probably 'White Winter' ", but (we think) somewhat more compact and with better leaf substance.

Arum italicum, Ceni's spotted form

A relatively tender collection of A. italicum received originally from Mr. Fausto Ceni of Brescia, Italy, who says he accidentally collected it while filling pots at the edge of a citrus orchard in Sicily. It has rather loose, floppy long-petioled medium green leaves, flecked and splashed with shades of chartreuse. The huge boat-shaped spathes are creamy greenish-white.

Arum italicum 'Chameleon'

A truly imposing selection of A. italicum with massive hastate leaves, the central areas of which are clouded and swirled with paler shades of grey-green and chartreuse, while the border remains a solid green. Just an outstanding plant - definitely one of our favorites.

Arum italicum 'Ghost'

We selected this years ago from among the offspring of exceptionally well-marked 'Pictum' type plants. Its distinctive coloration, with the entire area between the pale veins being marbled in shades of grey-gold, has never appeared in another seedling (we do have several that are moving towards solid or near-solid silver/white with green borders, but not the curiously muted colors of this plant). Especially attractive when grown in deep shade, under an overarching shrub, where its pale coloration is most striking. This selection is a slow grower, so be patient while it gets established.

Arum italicum 'Gold Rush'

Selected here at Seneca Hill, 'Gold Rush' is a rich, lush-looking arum whose veins and the areas surrounding them are gold, rather than the more typical cream or white. It is also relatively large, and a good, strong grower. We tend to avoid playing favorites, but this is a smashing plant.

Arum italicum, McClements' form

From Dr. Jim McClements' fine plant collection comes this unusual selection with deep green basal coloration, bright white veins, and tarry black spots scattered over the surface. The leaves have heavy substance and are strongly sagittate and waved at the margin. This one must get well-established before it will produce mature (as opposed to juvenile) foliage.

Arum italicum 'Pamela Harper' - NEW INTRODUCTION

This outstanding A. italicum originated as a seedling in noted garden writer and speaker Pam Harper's Virginia garden, and when she sent us some several years ago we were completely bowled over. Save for a clean dark green margin, the entire leaf is silver, modulated and dappled in the wonderful way that arums are. The leaf shape is strongly hastate, and the surface and edges wave and twist. Pam has long called it 'Twisted Silver', but when pressed she graciously agreed to let us name it after her: a lovely plant named after a lovely lady. Very limited supply; one per customer.

Arum italicum, probably 'White Winter'

A classic top-of-the-line A. italicum 'Pictum' type, with high-contrast white veins against a deep green background, and a deliciously waved and puckered leaf. We obtained it from Edith Edelman, who got hers from Pam Harper, who still grows it. Pam thinks this is probably the British cultivar 'White Winter'.

Arum italicum, Warburg strain

Offsets of selected parents grown from seed collected by John Grimshaw from a swarm of plants known as "Warburg hybrids" (referring to their supposed status as hybrids between A. italicum and A. maculatum). We are quite sure these are A. italicum, not hybrids, and they are wonderful plants, with leaves flecked and speckled to varying degrees with black, silver and chartreuse, and spotted spathes when they bloom.