Arum italicum as an invasive weed? ID and advice needed.

From: "Marge Talt" mtalt at clark.net> on 2001.03.26 at 15:33:04(6079) Hi all, I received email from a gardener in Oregon who had read my article on Arum italicum and wrote saying that it had become a weed on her farm, invading the garden and herb beds. Since my one clump has not expanded all that much in years and doesn't set seed regularly, I replied wondering whether she could have another plant - and sent links to various Arum images on the web. She responded with two images of her problem plant, which I have put up on the web at: http://mtalt.hort.net/arum-tmp/arum-as-weed.html It sure looks like Arum italicum to me, but I've never read anything about this becoming an invasive weed. Out of my depth here, so I turn to all you Aroid gurus to help me help this person out. Would you-all be so kind as to look at the images and let me know whether this looks like it actually is Arum italicum. If not, what is it? And, further is there any action that can be taken to curb it, other than removing seed heads? She says it's spreading everywhere and the tubers are very deep; she's tried digging them out, but finds she's just cutting off stems below ground. She says there are too many to really be able to dig them out (if it is A. italicum, I should be so lucky as to have this problem!). She also says they have tried "various methods" of eradication with no luck...I am assuming some kind of herbicide, but do not know exactly what methods she has tried. Any assistance will be much appreciated. Marge +More Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland mtalt@clark.net Editor: Gardening in Shade ----------------------------------------------- Current Article: Online Nurseries 2001 - Weird Dude's Plant Zoo http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening ------------------------------------------------ Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html ------------------------------------------------ All Suite101.com garden topics : http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

From: "Plantsman" plantsman at prodigy.net> on 2001.03.26 at 16:34:58(6083) That is definitely A. italicum var. 'pictum'. I should be so lucky to have it spread out! For what they cost, I'd like to have more! I've had a bed of about fifty plants out for three years and they've not expanded outward any that I can tell. Mine seem to be rather shallow rooted and their tubers grows over on their side. It must be that Pacific Northwest climate and good rich dirt that is doing it. Here in NE TN we have long cool autumns that causes quite a bit of growth, fairly cold winters that stops them and then wet springs with wildly swinging temps until the long, hot and dry summer hits that's sends them into dormancy. Somewhat similar to their native habitat from what I understand. Maybe she should consider raising them to sell, just buy a long nursery spade to get way down deep! David Sizemore +More Kingsport, TN (zone 6a where it's supposed to be 18?F tonight) plantsman@prodigy.net ----- Original Message ----- To: "Multiple recipients of list AROID-L" Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 10:33 AM Subject: Arum italicum as an invasive weed? ID and advice needed. : Hi all, : : I received email from a gardener in Oregon who had read my article on : Arum italicum and wrote saying that it had become a weed on her farm, : invading the garden and herb beds. Since my one clump has not : expanded all that much in years and doesn't set seed regularly, I : replied wondering whether she could have another plant - and sent : links to various Arum images on the web.

From: "kalbmatt" kalbmatt at email.msn.com> on 2001.03.26 at 22:06:02(6084) Looks like arum italicum. In Portland OR Zone 7-8 it can be invasive, but removal of seedheads has been helpful to prevent spreading. I still have mats of it several yards across. Some dranunculus act the same. +More ----- Original Message ----- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Sent: Monday, March 26, 2001 7:33 AM Subject: Arum italicum as an invasive weed? ID and advice needed. > Hi all, > > I received email from a gardener in Oregon who had read my article on > Arum italicum and wrote saying that it had become a weed on her farm, > invading the garden and herb beds. Since my one clump has not > expanded all that much in years and doesn't set seed regularly, I > replied wondering whether she could have another plant - and sent > links to various Arum images on the web. > > She responded with two images of her problem plant, which I have put > up on the web at: > > http://mtalt.hort.net/arum-tmp/arum-as-weed.html > > It sure looks like Arum italicum to me, but I've never read anything > about this becoming an invasive weed. Out of my depth here, so I > turn to all you Aroid gurus to help me help this person out. > > Would you-all be so kind as to look at the images and let me know > whether this looks like it actually is Arum italicum. If not, what > is it? And, further is there any action that can be taken to curb > it, other than removing seed heads? She says it's spreading > everywhere and the tubers are very deep; she's tried digging them > out, but finds she's just cutting off stems below ground. She says > there are too many to really be able to dig them out (if it is A. > italicum, I should be so lucky as to have this problem!). She also > says they have tried "various methods" of eradication with no > luck...I am assuming some kind of herbicide, but do not know exactly > what methods she has tried. > > Any assistance will be much appreciated. > > Marge > > Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland > mtalt@clark.net > Editor: Gardening in Shade > ----------------------------------------------- > Current Article: Online Nurseries 2001 - Weird Dude's Plant Zoo > http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening > ------------------------------------------------ > Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date > http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html > ------------------------------------------------ > All Suite101.com garden topics : > http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635 > > >

From: jim singer jsinger at igc.org> on 2001.03.27 at 00:38:38(6089) not much help, marge, but confirmation that one person's accent plant is another's invasive weed. the pond apple, which is native to the everglades, has been declared a noxious weed in northern australia; likewise the austrailian pine has been declared a noxious weed in the everglades. i suspect this sort of thing happens with greater frequency than we realize. +More At 09:32 AM 3/26/01 -0600, Marge Talt wrote: >Hi all, > >I received email from a gardener in Oregon who had read my article on >Arum italicum and wrote saying that it had become a weed on her farm, >invading the garden and herb beds. Since my one clump has not >expanded all that much in years and doesn't set seed regularly, I >replied wondering whether she could have another plant - and sent >links to various Arum images on the web. > >She responded with two images of her problem plant, which I have put >up on the web at: > >http://mtalt.hort.net/arum-tmp/arum-as-weed.html > >It sure looks like Arum italicum to me, but I've never read anything >about this becoming an invasive weed. Out of my depth here, so I >turn to all you Aroid gurus to help me help this person out. > >Would you-all be so kind as to look at the images and let me know >whether this looks like it actually is Arum italicum. If not, what >is it? And, further is there any action that can be taken to curb >it, other than removing seed heads? She says it's spreading >everywhere and the tubers are very deep; she's tried digging them >out, but finds she's just cutting off stems below ground. She says >there are too many to really be able to dig them out (if it is A. >italicum, I should be so lucky as to have this problem!). She also >says they have tried "various methods" of eradication with no >luck...I am assuming some kind of herbicide, but do not know exactly >what methods she has tried. > >Any assistance will be much appreciated. > >Marge > >Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland >mtalt@clark.net >Editor: Gardening in Shade >----------------------------------------------- >Current Article: Online Nurseries 2001 - Weird Dude's Plant Zoo >http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening >------------------------------------------------ >Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date >http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html >------------------------------------------------ >All Suite101.com garden topics : >http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

From: Joyce Miller onager at midtown.net> on 2001.03.27 at 04:09:22(6090) Dear Marge, In Sacramento, CA, Arum italicum is also an invasive weed, at least in my yard. This spring I have resorted to digging the tubers. The fact that so many are very small makes me believe I can nearly eradicate them. I do want a couple of accent plants for they are handsome striking plants with scarlet berries in the fall. Sincerely, Joyce Miller, Sacramento, CA Zone 9A.

From: Betsytrips at aol.com on 2001.03.27 at 05:10:03(6091) I can say here in west Tennessee that it comes up here and there but that is okay with me. Those of you that have a problem with them will just have to share with the neighbors and hope they like your gift. One man's weed is another's rare plant. +More Betsy

From: "Marge Talt" mtalt at clark.net> on 2001.04.10 at 14:35:31(6167) A belated thanks to all of you who replied to this query, both on and off the list. Appears that consensus is that this is, indeed, a form of A. italicum and (to my surprise) that it can be very aggressive in benign climates. You learn something every day! I will pass this information on to the person with the problem... Thanks again, everyone! Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland mtalt@clark.net +More Editor: Gardening in Shade ----------------------------------------------- Current Article: Online Nurseries 2001 - Completely Clematis Specialty Nursery http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening ------------------------------------------------ Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html ------------------------------------------------ All Suite101.com garden topics : http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

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