Arisaema speciosum – Showy Cobra Lily
Arisaema speciosum, the showy cobra lily, is one of the most dramatic "cobra flowers" – a Himalayan tuberous perennial from the Araceae family. It captivates with its marbled, snake-patterned leaf stalk, hooded, dark burgundy-white striped spathe, and an exceptionally long, whip-like spadix extension. It is a prized collector’s plant for shady garden corners.
Synonyms and Nomenclature
The species was described by Mart. (1832), with the basionym Arum speciosum Wall. (1824). The Kew POWO database lists only one synonym for it but distinguishes varieties:
- Arum speciosum Wall. (basionym, only synonym)
- Arisaema speciosum var. mirabile (Schott) Engl. (variety)
- Arisaema speciosum var. ziroense Gusman (variety)
In English, the plant is called "showy cobra lily" and "cobra lily," and is sometimes referred to as the Himalayan "jack-in-the-pulpit"; the Polish name is arizema okazała. The epithet speciosum means "showy, striking."
Origin and Appearance
The species originates from the Himalayas to western Yunnan and northern Myanmar – from Nepal, the Western and Eastern Himalayas, Assam, Tibet, and south-central China, where it grows in moist, mountainous temperate forests as a tuberous plant. It is a perennial usually reaching about 30 cm (up to 0.5–1 m in fertile conditions), growing from an underground tuber.
The plant produces a single, large, three-lobed (3-leaflet) leaf on a sturdy stalk, distinctly marbled with pink, red, and green – a "snake" pattern typical of cobra flowers. The inflorescence is a dramatic, hooded spathe in dark burgundy and purple, decorated with longitudinal white-greenish stripes, enclosing a club-shaped spadix. The spadix extends into a characteristic long, whip-like, purple appendage (tail) that protrudes far beyond the spathe and can trail along the ground. Pollinated female plants produce dense clusters of fleshy, red-orange berries in autumn.
Frost Hardiness and Cultivation
Arisaema consanguineum is a Himalayan species with moderate frost resistance – we consider zone 7 as the filter zone (practically 7–9). In cooler gardens, it requires winter covering (mulching) and sharp winter drainage because the tuber easily rots in wet, cold soil; it can also be grown in a deep pot in a cool greenhouse. It prefers partial shade and moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil. The plant dies back in winter, and the tuber goes dormant.
Cultivation from seeds
Fleshy berries must be thoroughly cleaned of pulp and the seeds rinsed (wear gloves – the pulp contains germination inhibitors and irritating oxalates). Seeds undergo cool, moist stratification – sow fresh seeds in autumn in a cold frame or keep cleaned seeds for about 2–3 months at 4°C in barely moist substrate, then move to warmth (18–24°C). Germination is slow and uneven, spread over time. It usually takes 3–5 years to first flowering because the tuber must grow.
Safety and care
The entire plant contains calcium oxalates (raphide crystals) and is harmful if ingested and irritating to skin and eyes – when handling tubers, seeds, and cleaning berries, gloves should be worn, and the plant kept away from children and animals. In cultivation, it prefers cool partial shade, moist, humus-rich, and well-drained soil; the tuber is planted deeply (about 20 cm). It is sometimes attacked by slugs and cockchafers.
Interesting facts
Like most Arisaema, the species is sequentially bisexual (changes sex): young, small tubers flower as male, and only larger, well-nourished ones become female and can revert to male after a difficult season – the same specimen can be male or female at different times. Another peculiarity is the extremely long, whip-like tail of the spadix, hanging far beyond the sheath and trailing on the mulch – it probably attracts pollinating flies.
Summary
Arisaema consanguineum is a treasure for collectors of shady gardens – the snake-like tail, striped sheath, and dramatic spadix "tail" make a huge impression. Cultivation from seeds is moderately demanding: it requires cleaning the berries, cool stratification, and patience, but the result is extraordinary.
