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Identification of plant in West Norfolk garden

jmevans950jmevans950 Posts: 3
in The potting shed
I need identification of a plant in my garden.  It has stems that are about 3/4 inch wide that are white with brown spots on them.  They are currently about 2 foot tall.  The leaves unfurl and the flowers of which there is one per plant are like the cuckoopint.  They come up about a foot long and are a deep purple around a black pointed bit.  Once the flowers are open the whole plant wilts immediately and within a day look dead.  This is my third summer here and the plants are spreading.  If they are a rarity I don't want to pull them up.  Advice please.

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Very descriptive @jmevans950, but would there be any chance of a photo just to help as well ?  :)
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2019
    Sounds like Dranunculus vulgaris, but as @AnniD says, a photo would help to confirm. 

    https://www.tropicalbritain.co.uk/aroids/dracunculus/dracunculus-vulgaris/dracunculus-vulgaris.html

    Definitely a bit special 😊 

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





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    dranunculus vulgaris? or Sauromatum venosum?
    Devon.
  • Ladybird4Ladybird4 Posts: 37,906
    If it looks like this its one of the Arum lilies:


    Image result for black arum lily plant images


    Cacoethes: An irresistible urge to do something inadvisable
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    Dracunculus vulgaria seeds all over my garden. The flowers stink, have you checked that?


    In the sticks near Peterborough
  • jmevans950jmevans950 Posts: 3
    Thank you all.  It is Dranunculus vulgaris.  No I haven't smelt the flowers but do brush past them to get into my shed and haven't noticed a smell. Perhaps it is as well that the flowers only seem to last for a day before they die off!  Very exciting waiting for the flowers to develop and open though.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2019
    They’re quite something aren’t they? I’ve seen
    them in Nutcutlet’s garden ...  impressive  😊 

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





  • jmevans950jmevans950 Posts: 3
    They are quite something but I expect because they die off so quickly after the flowers come out that garden centres generally don't stock them.  The build up to flowering is so exciting and I am really pleased to be able to tell my friends and relatives what they are and maybe even offer to share them especially as I have some growing in my veg patch where I would prefer to have lettuces.  Mind you, those coming this weekend I will try to palm off my surplus courgette and tomato plants on to!
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