Lords and Ladies

Did you know

• Lords and ladies heats its purple spadix to up to 15°C above ambient air temperature using thermogenesis, vaporizing scent compounds to lure midges into a chamber trap for pollination.
• The plant has accumulated over 100 English folk names — including 'cuckoo pint,' 'jack in the pulpit,' and 'wild arum' — reflecting centuries of intimate familiarity in rural Britain.
• While the bright orange-red berries in autumn look irresistibly edible, every part of the plant contains calcium oxalate crystals that cause an immediate intense burning sensation in the mouth and throat.
• Despite being highly toxic when raw, the starchy tubers were processed into 'Portland sago' in Britain and Ireland as a starch for laundering stiff collars and cuffs.
• The mottled dark spots on the leaves (referenced in 'maculatum,' meaning 'spotted') are highly variable — some plants have heavily blotched leaves while others are completely plain green.

Color meanings

Uses

• ornamental
• wildlife habitat