The aroid, which is native to Europe, is often found in nature at the edge of the forest. But you can also plant it in the garden.
In early spring, its thick, green leaves are quite inconspicuous before it begins to bloom in white in May. In late summer, from around August, the aroid, which is known as the plant of beauty, then develops a pretty cluster of berries. The initially green berries turn into bright red berries and thus mutate into an eye-catcher in the shady bed again in autumn. Especially since the splendor of the leaves disappears completely and only the bare stalks with their red clusters of berries remain in the bed.
The aroid is very poisonous
In the vernacular, the arum is also referred to as donkey's ear, stomach root or spinach. The reason for this was its medicinal properties, which today should only be used by experts.
Unfortunately, many people find the smell of the flower a bit unpleasant at first. Although the flower attracts countless insects, which is why it is also known as a fly kettle trap. However, as soon as pollination is complete, the aroid releases the insect and its unpleasant odor immediately disappears.
Warning:
The aroid is one of the absolutely poisonous plants and should therefore never be planted in gardens where children play! The plant is not only classified as poisonous to humans, but also to animals such as dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, birds, etc.
Planting arum correctly
The plant, which grows to a height of between 15 and 50 centimetres, can be planted anywhere in the light semi-shade, including under deciduous trees without any problems. It prefers nutrient-rich, slightly moist soil, which you should best enrich with fresh humus in advance. When planting, make sure you're wearing gloves when you touch the arum, as many people are immediately irritated by it.
Once the plant has been planted in the garden, it will multiply by itself and provide a beautiful natural spectacle year after year. However, if you don't want that, you can of course also propagate the arum by turning a spadecontain.
Care for Arum
During the season, the arum does not require any special care. You should only water it minimally on extremely hot days. From August onwards, even watering can stop, as the arum then goes into a kind of quiescent phase. In principle, fertilization is not necessary.