Arisaema potpourri

[Ellen Hornig]

On a recent tromp through the woods here in Oswego, NY, Judy Springer and
I (well, first Judy, later I) found a few A. triphyllum with deep red
staining around the midrib of each leaflet.  These plants were generally
heavily pigmented: dark stems and petioles, spathe interiors a glossy
near-black with stark white stripes, spathe exteriors somewhat striped.
Very handsome plants indeed. How common is this sort of reddish veination
in A. triphyllum?

And another question:  as the proud new owner of 5 A. thunbergii ssp.
urashima (2 from one source, 3 from another), I am quite entranced with
this species, and I just noticed something interesting today: one of the
five plants has a leaf that's entirely grey-green (pewter?) - would be
glaucous if it didn't have such a wonderful sheen - while the other plants
all have plain green leaves.  How often do they turn up with that
coloration?  I'm happy to report that the plant in question is a female;
I'll do my best with the paintbrush, though the freshest remaining male is
a bit past his prime.

Lastly: three customers in upstate NY to whom I sold A. candidissimum
report successful overwintering (2 for the winter of 95-6, one for 97: he
accidentally dug his up).  They haven't emerged yet this year, of course.
The guy who dug his up says he planted it shallow in a raised bed (not
under my instruction, certainly), which would certainly mean it must have
frozen solid.  Hmmmm.

Ellen Hornig
Oswego, NY
USDA zone 5b (winter lows -10 to -20F, excellent snowcover)