Native Plant Database

From the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Root Type: Tap
Leaf: Green
Flower:
Fruit: Red
Size Class: 1-3 ft.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Green , Purple , Brown
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May , Jun

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , CT , DC , DE , FL , GA , IA , IL , IN , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MO , MS , NC , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OK , PA , RI , SC , SD , TN , TX , VA , VT , WI , WV
Canada: MB , NB , NS , ON , PE , QC
Native Distribution: N.S. to Man. & e. ND, s. to FL, e. TX & e. KS
Native Habitat: Forest, Woodland, Swamp, Marsh
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium
Soil Description: Humus-rich, moist soils.
Conditions Comments: Jack-in-the-pulpit is an excellent woodsgarden plant, very easy to cultivate and requiring very little care. It thrives under a variety of conditions, but grows most vigorously in moist, shady, seasonally wet locations. A heavy, leafy wintercover should be left in place.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Birds and mammals eat the berries of this plant.
Use Food: Native Americans gathered the fleshy taproots (corms) as a vegetable. Roots, only when dried or cooked. Collect roots in early spring. Never eat roots raw as they can be intensely bitter and can cause blisters. Dry for at least six months before eating. Peel, cut into small pieces, roast in the oven for at least one hour and grind into a flour or coffee grinder until quite fine. Add the ground root to bread doughs or muffin batters. Thin slices of the root, dried for 3 months, can be eaten as snacks or with potato-chip dip. (Poisonous Plants of N.C. State)
Warning: Containing needle-like calcium oxalate crystals and perhaps other acrid substances, the berries, foliage, and roots of this plant will cause painful irritation of the mouth and throat if ingested. The roots can cause blisters on skin if touched. Because of needle-like calcium oxalate crystals in the underground tuber, it is peppery to the taste and causes a strong burning reaction if eaten raw. This unpleasant property can be eliminated by cooking. American First Nations gathered the fleshy taproots (corms) as a vegetable. (Niering)
Conspicuous Flowers: yes
Interesting Foliage: yes
Attracts: Birds

Propagation

Description: Propagate by root division or seed. Seeds may be sown outside in late fall, 3/4 deep, or the following spring with or without cold treatment. Seeds should not be allowed to dry out. The seeds may not germinate for up to two years. Cormlets can be separated from the parent corm in fall.
Seed Collection: Collect fruits in fall when the berries are red. Approximate collection date for northern U.S.: Late Aug. & Sep.
Seed Treatment: Remove the small brown seed from the pulp. Stratify stored seeds by placing them in moist sphagmun moss and refrigerating 60 days before planting.
Commercially Avail: yes

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Mr. Smarty Plants says

Plant identification, green and tube-like
September 18, 2008
LOOKING FOR NAME OF A GREEN TUBE-LIKE PLANT (SHAPED LIKE A CALLA LILY). THE VEINS ARE VISIBLE. MAYBE IN CLUSTER
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Native wildflowers for Northern Indiana
May 08, 2007
I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center on Saturday April 21. What a beautiful place. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I was wondering how I could find out w...
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Plants for shade native to New York
June 13, 2006
I am gradually trying to convert my garden to all natives. I am working in a shaded area under a maple tree. Are there any varieties of epimediums/barrenwort or hellebores that are native to the nor...
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Native perennials for moist shade in Missouri
January 16, 2005
I live near Adrian, Mo (s of KC by an hour). I currently have a small hillside that is covered by trees and shaded all day and also seems to hold moisture really well. The hill seems to grow a littl...
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From the National Suppliers Directory

According to the inventory provided by Associate Suppliers, this plant is available at the following locations:

Edge of the Woods Native Plant Nursery - Orefield, PA
Amandas Garden - Springwater, NY
Enchanter's Garden - Hinton, WV
American Native Nursery - Quakertown, PA
Toadshade Wildflower Farm - Frenchtown, NJ
Prairie Nursery - Westfield, WI

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is either on display or available from the following:

Pineywoods Native Plant Center - Nacogdoches, TX
Delaware Nature Society - Hockessin, DE
Natural Biodiversity - Johnstown, PA

Bibliography

Bibref 928 - 100 easy-to-grow native plants for Canadian gardens (2005) Johnson, L.; A. Leyerle
Bibref 996 - Gardening with Native Plants of the South (1994) Wasowski, Sally and Andy Wasowski
Bibref 841 - Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants (2006) Burrell, C. C.
* The Midwestern Native Garden: Native Alternatives to Nonnative Flowers and Plants An Illustrated Guide (2011) Adelman, Charlotte and Schwartz, Bernard L.

Search More Titles in Bibliography

Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Arisaema triphyllum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Arisaema triphyllum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Arisaema triphyllum