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What is this plant?

aureliecelerieraureliecelerier Posts: 157
in Plants
Does anyone know the name of this plant? Is this a weed? Just noticed it growing in a corner of my woodland area. Thanks lily

Posts

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Lords and ladies
  • aureliecelerieraureliecelerier Posts: 157
    Thanks, it is quite beautiful, never came across it before...
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited May 2018
    It is very beautiful ... one of my favourites since childhood (Arum maculatum).  The stipe lures flies down to the base of the flower where they are trapped by hairs and as they buzz around they pollinate the plant before the plant releases them.  If you scroll down here you'll see some photos where part of the flower has been cut away to demonstrate https://easywildflowers.wordpress.com/about/green-wildflowers-of-the-uk/arum-maculatum-the-wild-arum/

    The berries that follow are poisonous, but I was told that as a small child and never tried to eat them ... most children don't want to vomit so make sure you tell them when they're old enough to play in the garden unsupervised. 

    I used to take smaller children around the farm pointing out all the poisonous plants (bossy?  moi?  ;) )

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    I really like them, but they can spread easily. All parts of the plant are toxic, which is not usually a problem but the red berries in the autumn might be inviting to little children. Just worth knowing if you have kidlets around. 
  • WaysideWayside Posts: 845
    We get loads of that just turning up.
  • aureliecelerieraureliecelerier Posts: 157
    Thanks for letting me know! The woodland are is also filled with foxgloves and lily of the valley - and I have a 2.5 years old boy who loves to pick flowers! A real health and safety hazard! But also my favourite part of the garden! 
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    edited May 2018
    I guess he will just grow up with a strong respect for nature and a good education in what not to pick. Better that way, I think, that being afraid or ignorant of nature. Water, fire, animals, mushrooms, snow - it's best to learn their ways. 
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    My granny's garden was full of foxgloves and lily of the valley.  As a small child the first thing I would do when I visited when the foxgloves were blooming, was to stick my fingers in the flowers as 'fairy's gloves'.  I knew not to stick my fingers in my mouth afterwards without washing them, and I never did (and I was a nail biter and thumb sucker back then).

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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