Cobra lilies
Arisaema amurense

Family: Araceae

What it is like

A herb that keeps growing from year to year. It is 45 cm high. The had tubers that are round and flattened and 6-7 cm across. It has one or two leaves. These are divided into about 5 leaflets which radiate out. The leaflets are broadly oval or sword shaped and 10-13 cm long. The bract around the flower is hooded and white. There are dark red or green stripes. It is 11 cm long. The flower spike is like a cylinder and 3.5 cm long.

There are about 150-170 Arisaema species.

Where it is found

It is a temperate plant. It grows in deciduous forest, mixed forest, under woods, by streams between 50-200 m altitude in northern China. It is frost hardy. It suits hardiness zones 5-9.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, Australia, China, Japan, Korea, Russia, Siberia

How it is used for food

The roots are used in brewing.

Edible parts

Leaves, root, corm

How it is grown

It can be grown from seed or by division of the tuber.

Its other names

Local names

Cheonnamseong, Tian Nan Xing

Synonyms

Arisaema amurense var. typicum Engler; Arisaema amurense var. violaceum Engler; Arisaema amurense var. robustum Engler in de Candollen;