Arisaema tortuosum

Arisaema tortuosum rises to four to six feet on spectacularly mottled stems making it the tallest of the genus. The palmate, tropical-looking leaves are held near the top of the stalk from which emerges the jack-in-the-pulpit inflorescence. Out of the pale green spathe emerges a darker, often purple, spadix appendage like a whip-like tongue shooting up to ten inches skyward. Totally fabulous and a great conversation piece! Widespread across the Himalayan countries, India, western China and Myanmar. Arisaema are known as cobra lilies or jack-in-the-pulpits. There are only two North American species but many in Asia. They grow in moist, shaded, forested habitats and are great for adding cool foliage and floral intrigue in the shade or woodland garden where they can rise up and through other shade plants. In colder climates they can be grown in pots and protected in winter. Keep just above freezing. In pots, plant in a moist but free-draining mix of coarse bark and pumice or perlite. Pull back on watering when dormant.

Sometimes known as Arisaema helleborifolium, so you know why this is one of my favorites. It's risen to over 4 feet in my garden with the most unusual markings on its thick, firm stem. The flowers are huge as are the seed heads. The foliage really does resemble Hellebore foliage and no special care is required to grow it. Mine are quite happy in full shade under an Oak tree.

Blooms: spring-summer, Green, white spathe w/ long dark green spadex Zone 6-9. 4', Sub Himalaya, part shade-shade, moist, WD

This species grows native from Nepal & Northeast India to south central China. It has a dark purple to chocolate spathe striped or marked white. The mottled or purple-blotched leaf stem bears a huge tropical-looking shiny palmate leaf, divided to look a bit like three leaves with reddish brown margins. It prefers dappled shade. It can sometimes require a mulch for protection in winter but is generally very hardy. Usually an easy species to grow in zones 7+, it can be strict about soil conditions. Its ground must be extremely well-draining or the large cylindrical tuber & roots may rot. Yet consistent moisture is also required. The spathe lasts three or four weeks then dies back. If it develops a seed head, that will ripen slowly, lasting until the start of autumn. The very decorative leaf will generally last until summer's end unless the soil gets too dry or the stem gets battered. Harsh weather does sometimes break the larger varieties of jack-in-the-pulpits, so that a leeside windbreak of shrubbery is useful both to protect it from high winds & to provide it with its requisit shade." Description courtesy of Paghat.com Healthy Full Size Bulbs

Husky stems the diameter of cornstalks grow to 5 feet. Light green spathe spits out a long upward reaching spadix.

Surprising, strange, and wonderful Jack-in-the-pulpit from the Himalayas, making its garden appearance in June as a 4' tall stalk (actually a petiole!) from which two palmate green leaves unfurl, topped by the green flower, the "Jack" displaying a loooong, tongue, to 12+", that extends high above the "pulpit." Good soil and average summer water in light shade to shade in hottest climates. Frost hardy to at least USDA zone 6.