How to Plant Italian Lords and Ladies (Arum italicum)

Plant the tubers in fall, 4–6 inches deep and about 12 inches apart, in part to full shade and rich soil. Marbled leaves last through winter, and stalks of orange-red berries follow in summer.

When to plant
Fall, as soon as your tubers arrive
Depth
4–6 inches
Spacing
About 12 inches apart
Sun
Part to full shade; leaves look best in light shade, and berries color best with a little more sun
Water
Keep moist while the leaves are up, fall through spring; water less as they fade
Soil
Rich in organic matter, moist but well-drained

Step by step

  1. Wear gloves. Every part of the plant, tubers included, can irritate skin.
  2. Choose a spot in part to full shade, such as a woodland edge or the ground under deciduous trees, away from vegetable beds and play areas.
  3. Work compost or leaf mold into the soil.
  4. Plant each tuber 4–6 inches deep and about 12 inches apart.
  5. Water well to settle the soil.
  6. Keep the soil moist through fall, winter and spring while the leaves are up.

After bloom

Hooded, greenish-white flowers open in spring, then the leaves wither and the plant goes dormant. Berry stalks follow, ripening orange-red and lasting through August. New leaves return in fall. The plant spreads by seed and small tubers. If you don't want seedlings, cut off the berry stalks before they ripen. Divide crowded clumps in summer while they're dormant.