Arum purpureospathum

[Palustris]

Cat was mouse hunting in the Shade Garden, so I went to see what he had caught and this was flowering. Would never have seen it, deepest, darkest red in the shade!

[Palustris]

[Mimi]

That is amazing Eric.  :o

[undercarriage plan]

Whoh Eric, see what you mean!! :o  Lottie

[chrispea27]

Are these not nicknamed naughty boys :P

[Kerry]

that's quite something, Palustris-have you grown it from seed- is it hardy??

[Palustris]

Grown from seed, taken  about 5 years to flower and it seems to be hardy. Comes from the Caucasus mountains so it ought to be.

[Kerry]

it interests me because i tried dracunculus vulgaris from seed-it looks very similar to your picture. when the seed had germinated it threw upa small stem and leaf, but then not much happened. underneath the surface it had formed a tiny bulb, but then-nothing! it seemed to sulk and wither.    so..did your arum form a bulb/tuber(?).  and was it straightforward to grow? (questions, questions!)
i still have seeds so i will try again.

[Palustris]

Yes they are bulbous plants for a start. If I remember correctly it grew on for the first season (well fed as I do all baby bulbs) then when it died down I stopped watering and kept the pot fairly dry, until it started into growth again. then it was planted out in the garen and forgotten about. I think D, vulgaris is more tender than this one, so perhaps it needs to be kept indoors.

[Kerry]

well, i've had another inspect of my remaining drancunculus, and although the bulb itself is tiny, it is, encouragingly, sprouting. i guess it pays not to be too hasty!
it's an interesting point about feeding, not something i had considered.
what do you feed with though?-not sure which combination of NPK would be best for it at this point....