Arisaema speciosum Himalayan Giant
Everyone who sees this in our garden shakes their head in disbelief. This amazing form of Arisaema speciosum, which often goes by the invalid name of Arisaema speciosum v. magnificum, is simply a giant race of Arisaema speciosum discovered in India. The new growth emerges in late spring from one end of the unusual cigar-shaped rhizome (plant horizontally). The 30″ tall cobra-marked stalk is topped with three dark green, heavily textured leaflets, each edged in red. The flower, which arises from the base on a short stalk in early May (NC), is composed of a wine-purple and white striped hood, holding a whitish-pink spadix that starts out sturdy and thick, but then becomes nothing more than a crumpled red thread at the end…obviously a rough night. Well-drained soils during the dormant period are the key to success with Arisaema speciosum.
