Arum palaestinum

This Palestinian native is one of our favorite arums that has thrived in our garden for more than two decades, despite effort by the Arum palaestinum Liberation Organization (APLO) to extricate it. During the fall, dark green, trowel-shaped foliage emerges from the tuber to form a nice clump of foliage that remains up during the winter. In late April the bizarre, purple-black, tail-like sex appendage (spadix) emerges from within a wicked looking shell-like spathe. The smell resembles rotting fruit...not that I'm an expert on odors. Arum palaestinum prefers a dry site in the winter with good drainage.