Water Arum
(Calla palustris)
Water Arum (Calla palustris)
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Joshua Mayer
CC BY-SA 2.0
Image By:
Joshua Mayer
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Copyright:
CC BY-SA 2.0
Copyright Notice:
Photo by: Joshua Mayer | License Type: CC BY-SA 2.0 | License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/ | Uploader: wackybadger | Publisher: Flickr
Estimated Native Range
Summary
Calla palustris, commonly known as Water Arum, is a semi-deciduous perennial herb that thrives in the wetland habitats of North America, Europe, and Asia, including bogs, marshes, and the margins of slow-moving streams. Typically, it reaches a modest height of 1-2 feet (30-60 cm) with a similar spread. Water Arum has rounded to heart-shaped leaves that are glossy green, and its distinctive inflorescence consists of a greenish-yellow spadix surrounded by a showy white spathe, resembling a flower. This plant blooms from late spring to early summer, and its fruit is a cluster of bright red berries that are attractive but not edible.
Water Arum is valued for its unique floral structure and is often used in water gardens, bog gardens, and as a marginal aquatic plant. Its preference for wet conditions makes it suitable for rain gardens and areas with poor drainage. It is relatively low maintenance but requires consistently moist or even wet soil to thrive. While it can tolerate a range of light conditions, from full sun to full shade, it does best in part shade or full shade. Gardeners should be cautious when planting Water Arum outside its native range, as it can become invasive, spreading aggressively by rhizomes and seeds.CC BY-SA 4.0
Water Arum is valued for its unique floral structure and is often used in water gardens, bog gardens, and as a marginal aquatic plant. Its preference for wet conditions makes it suitable for rain gardens and areas with poor drainage. It is relatively low maintenance but requires consistently moist or even wet soil to thrive. While it can tolerate a range of light conditions, from full sun to full shade, it does best in part shade or full shade. Gardeners should be cautious when planting Water Arum outside its native range, as it can become invasive, spreading aggressively by rhizomes and seeds.CC BY-SA 4.0
Plant Description
- Plant Type: Herb
- Height: 0.5-1 feet
- Width: 0.5-1 feet
- Growth Rate: Slow
- Flower Color: Cream, Green, White
- Flowering Season: Summer
- Leaf Retention: Semi-Deciduous
Growth Requirements
- Sun: Part Shade, Full Shade
- Water: Aquatic
- Drainage: Slow, Medium, Fast
Common Uses
Showy Flowers, Water Garden
Natural Habitat
Wetland habitats including bogs, marshes, and the margins of slow-moving streams
Other Names
Common Names: Marsh Calla, Wild Calla, Squaw Claw, Water-Dragon, Wild Calla, Wild Calla-Lily, Bog Arum, Kærmysse, Schlangenwurz, Sumpf-Schlangenwurz
Scientific Names: , Calla palustris, Calla cordifolia, Calla palustris f. polyspathacea, Calla brevis, Calla generalis, Calla ovatifolia, Calla ovatifolia oppr, Calla palustris f. aroiformis, Calla palustris f. gracilis
GBIF Accepted Name: Calla palustris L.