Arum Italicum and Orient and Flume

Arum italicum in an Orient and Flume Vase

When we purchased our house oh so many years ago, we didn’t realize how much Arum italicum was in the yard. Over the years, we’ve pulled up plants (making sure to get the bulbs) where we didn’t want italicum and generally allowed other areas of the yard to have clumps of it. Our neighbors don’t have any italicum in their yards so we are guessing that the movement of dirt around our yard has been the main spreading mechanism. Neighbors don’t exchange dirt typically – hence no italicum in our neighbor’s yard.

Right about this time at the end of summer, the spike inflorescences – called a spadix – and its dozens of bright orange berries are all that is left. The leaves have given up the ghost for the season. Italicum is part of the Arum (Araceae) family and is commonly called Cuckoo Pint and Italian Lords-and-Ladies. The genus name we are guessing refers to the fact that this plant grows quite well in Italy. The spadices are shown here in a late 1970s (?) Orient and Flume Tiffany-styled vase.

Ironically, we purchased this American-made vase in Venice of all places. The further Italian link to the italicum (and completely coincidental as well) is that behind the vase is a piece of the painting: Padre e figlio (1997) by Alessandro Gambetti, an Italian artist. We purchased this piece in Castellina in Chianti, oh some many years ago.

Arum italicum Leaves


Arum italicum Green Berries