| Common Name | Latin Name | Plant Family |
|---|---|---|
|
Cuckoo Pint |
Arum maculatum |
Araceae |
Starch from the root has been used as a laundry starch for stiffening clothes[4, 66, 100]. Its use is said to be very harsh on the skin, producing sores and blisters on the hands of the laundresses who have to use it[66, 100], though another report says that the powdered root makes a good and innocent cosmetic that can be used to remove freckles[4].
Cultivation & Habitat
Seed – best sown in a greenhouse or cold frame as soon as it is ripe[134]. The seed usually germinates in 1 – 6 months at 15¡c[134]. Stored seed should be sown in the spring in a greenhouse and can be slow to germinate, sometimes taking a year or more. A period of cold stratification might help to speed up the process. Sow the seed thinly, and allow the seedlings to grow on without disturbance for their first year, giving occasional liquid feeds to ensure that they do not become mineral deficient. When the plants are dormant in the autumn, divide up the small corms, planting 2 – 3 in each pot, and grow them on in light shade in the greenhouse for a further year, planting out when dormant in the autumn.
Division of the corms in summer after flowering[200]. Larger corms can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up the smaller corms and grow them on for a year in a cold frame before planting them out.
Prefers a humus rich soil and abundant water in the growing season[1, 13]. Prefers a shady damp calcareous soil[13, 31]. Succeeds in sun or shade[90]. Plants are very shade tolerant[17] and grow well in woodland conditions[1].
The inflorescence has the remarkable ability to heat itself above the ambient air temperature to such a degree that it is quite noticeable to the touch[4]. Temperature rises of 11¡c have been recorded[245]. At the same time, the flowers emit a foul and urinous smell in order to attract midges for pollination[245]. The smell disappears once the flower has been pollinated[245].
Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer[233].
Most of Europe, south and east of Sweden, including Britain, south to N. Africa.
Become ungovernable, break the chains of the matrix; grow and forage your own food and medicine.
*None of the information on this website qualifies as professional medical advice. Take only what resonates with your heart and use your own personal responsibility for what’s best for you. For more information [brackets] [000], see bibliography.