28 May 2014
When I found this Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) blooming in Schenley Park, he begged for an opportunity to explain himself.
Go ahead, Jack. What’s on your mind?
First off, I’m not always a guy. I’m both male and female but not at the same time. What you call “Jack” is my spadix whose base is covered in tiny male or female flowers. I can make my flowers either male or female depending on my age and environmental conditions. Sometimes I’m male. Sometimes I’m female. Call me Jack or Jill.
I’m pollinated by fungus flies so I smell like a mushroom.
My pulpit is called a spathe — rhymes with bathe. My hood looks like a garden spade if you open it up. Be careful if you do that. Don’t hurt me.
Botanists cannot decide whether I am one species or three. My photo, above, shows that I’m all green inside but some of us are striped.
My trifoliate leaves start near the ground and sometimes look separate from me, but they’re mine. Yes, they look like “leaves of three.” No, they’re not poison ivy.
When I’m female I’m quite pretty in the fall. I drop my spathe and develop a cluster of bright red berries on my spadix. Check back in a few months and I’ll look like this … if I’m Jill this year.
And finally, don’t eat me. I’m full of calcium oxalate. Native Americans had recipes for my use but you have to know their special preparations or you’re in for nasty burning sensations, possible sterility, or poisoning.
(photos by Kate St. John)
I have several of these in the garden and mine are striped!!! Sorry Jack or Jackie…they were some rescue babies from the bulldozer next door…same as the wild ginger and other native flowers…even a native hydrangea and spice bushes
Marcy, your Jack-in-the pulpits are more typical of western PA. I think the ones at Schenley Park were planted. Beautiful as Schenley is, it’s a huge “garden.”
Just checked my photos and Frick’s are striped 🙂
The woods behind my childhood home on the Wilkins Township/Penn Hills Border had loads of Jack-in-the-pulpit. All stripes as as far as I can remember. I was also treated to Blood Root, Jewel weed, Virginia creeper, Mayapple. So many lovely woodland plants. I spent so much time wandering around out there, I really loved them.
I’m thinking of cowboy movies too, but i’m certain they used to make a soft drink, like root beer, out of this stuff.
I had these in my back yard as a child, and in the woods behind my house when I lived in NY. Love them. I did not know all this information about them though. Thank you for all this “news” about them.
What an informative and beautifully written article Kate!