Arisaema candidissimum
Encyclopedia
Arisaema candidissimum is a species of flowering plant
in the arum family (Araceae
), originating in western China (Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan). The Chinese name is (bai bao nan xing); various English names have been given to the species, including Striped Cobra Lily and Chinese Jack-in-the-Pulpit.
s, although the AGS Encyclopaedia of Alpines says that most Arisaema species grow from corm
s "often described wrongly as tubers". It does not appear above the ground until late spring or early summer (typically June in the British Isles). The inflorescence is produced before the leaves open fully and is of the usual aroid shape. The small flowers are at the base of a thin spadix which is surrounded by a hood-like spathe. The spathe is about 8–10 cm long, on a stem about 15 cm high. It varies in colour, typically being white, often pinkish or greenish white, with stripes which are green on the outside and pink on the inside. The spadix is white, cream or darker in some forms. The leaves are about 30 cm tall when fully grown, with three lobes, up to 20 long.
A. candidissimum grows in Quercus forests and shrubby valleys, at altitudes between 2200 and 3300 m.
considers it by far the best species of Arisaema for British gardens and recommends growing it in a warm, sunny place, although it should not be too dry in summer. A list produced for the International Aroid Society says it is hardy to −20 °F (−30 °C), USDA Zone
4b. Two clones were originally introduced into cultivation by Forrest
, one pale pink, the other pure white. Forms introduced later by Chinese suppliers include plants with darker, reddish-pink stripes.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
in the arum family (Araceae
Araceae
Araceae are a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants in which flowers are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe or leaf-like bract. Also known as the Arum family, members are often colloquially...
), originating in western China (Tibet, Sichuan, Yunnan). The Chinese name is (bai bao nan xing); various English names have been given to the species, including Striped Cobra Lily and Chinese Jack-in-the-Pulpit.
Description
It is usually described as growing from tuberTuber
Tubers are various types of modified plant structures that are enlarged to store nutrients. They are used by plants to survive the winter or dry months and provide energy and nutrients for regrowth during the next growing season and they are a means of asexual reproduction...
s, although the AGS Encyclopaedia of Alpines says that most Arisaema species grow from corm
Corm
A corm is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ used by some plants to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat ....
s "often described wrongly as tubers". It does not appear above the ground until late spring or early summer (typically June in the British Isles). The inflorescence is produced before the leaves open fully and is of the usual aroid shape. The small flowers are at the base of a thin spadix which is surrounded by a hood-like spathe. The spathe is about 8–10 cm long, on a stem about 15 cm high. It varies in colour, typically being white, often pinkish or greenish white, with stripes which are green on the outside and pink on the inside. The spadix is white, cream or darker in some forms. The leaves are about 30 cm tall when fully grown, with three lobes, up to 20 long.
A. candidissimum grows in Quercus forests and shrubby valleys, at altitudes between 2200 and 3300 m.
Cultivation
Brian MathewBrian Mathew
Brian Fredrick Mathew MBE is a British botanist, born in the village of Limpsfield, Surrey, England. His particular area of expertise is bulbous plants, although he has contributed to other fields of taxonomy and horticulture...
considers it by far the best species of Arisaema for British gardens and recommends growing it in a warm, sunny place, although it should not be too dry in summer. A list produced for the International Aroid Society says it is hardy to −20 °F (−30 °C), USDA Zone
Hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographically defined area in which a specific category of plant life is capable of growing, as defined by climatic conditions, including its ability to withstand the minimum temperatures of the zone...
4b. Two clones were originally introduced into cultivation by Forrest
George Forrest (botanist)
George Forrest was a Scottish botanist, who was one of the first explorers of China's then remote southwestern province of Yunnan, generally regarded as the most biodiverse province in the country....
, one pale pink, the other pure white. Forms introduced later by Chinese suppliers include plants with darker, reddish-pink stripes.