What: Arisaema consanguineum, also known as Himalayan cobra lily, is great for the woodland garden. The leaf stem emerges in spring to early summer reaching 2 to 3 feet tall with a tuft of leaflets at the top resembling a palm tree! The unusual hooded flowers are borne along the leaf stem and can be pure green to white and brown striped. The foliage remains all growing season and, if you are lucky, the flowers will set seed with bright orange-red seed pods in late summer to early fall.
Where: Arisaemas grow best in a rich well-drained soil, preferring a sandy loose soil. Choose a location with light to open or dappled shade and avoid hot afternoon sun.
Size: This tall-growing summer bulb will be 3 feet high and 9 inches wide when mature.
Care: Do not bury the Himalayan cobra lily tuber too deep. It will grow best when the top is covered by an inch or less of loose sandy soil and compost. Water these plants regularly in the summer. Arisaema can be very slow to sprout in the spring — sometimes they may not start growing until early to mid-summer. Be patient, especially with newly planted tubers.
— Richie Steffen, Great Plant Picks
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