Re: Arum palaestinum

At 03:02 PM 1/7/2002, Nan Sterman wrote:
>Sean, can you recommend a source for Arum palestinum?

Nan -

My source has traditionally been through sharing with friends, but I have 
seen it available occasionally in the trade.  I don't know of a commercial 
California source right now, but here is one in South Australian:
"AL-RU" Farm, Adelaide, South Australia
http://www.ruthirving.com.au/nurserypage.htm

Plant Delights once carried it but doesn't currently.  I would keep my eyes 
peeled in old neighborhoods for largish, dark green, arum-like leaves 
(larger than the very common A. italicum, and wider).  I assume there must 
be 'patches' of this bulb growing in old gardens in Southern California as 
well.

For those who are unsure of what we are talking about, here is a reasonable 
photo:
http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/jour/p/71/gw1087571/58849993760020.jpeg 
(I think this photo shows the leaves to be a lighter color than they really 
are)

Lately, I've noticed the name of 'Black Calla' tossed around a lot more and 
used to refer to many inappropriate plants.  It seems to have caught the 
imagination of people, being the natural antithesis of the ubiquitous 
'white calla'.  Arum palaestinum is not really very calla-lily like, being 
very regular Arum in shape and habit.  It is not truly black anyway, more a 
deep burgundy when opening, fading almost instantly to a reddish 
maroon.  The outside of the flower is green also.  The spadix (the 'finger' 
in the middle of the spathe, the leaf-like floral 'wrapper') can be 
considered black.

I have grown this plant on-and-off throughout my horticultural career, and 
we have a history together.  I was fired over this plant in my first job in 
a nursery, back when I was a teenager.  I was hired to do grunt work at a 
Japanese family nursery in my town but occasionally was allowed to help 
people when it got busy.  One day, while I was cleaning up an area in the 
nursery, a woman walked right up to me and asked me confrontationally "My 
friend was telling me about a Black Calla Lily and I think she was pulling 
my leg!  Was she?".

It just happened that I had been growing this plant for a year after having 
receive it from an old lady in the old quarter of town after having admired 
its strangeness one day when she was pottering in her garden.  I had 
researched it at the local University and was pleased to be able to share 
the information.  Explaining that it was not in the trade but certainly did 
exist, was very easy to grow, and I sent her to introduce herself to the 
gardener from whom I had received mine (she said she'd be happy to share 
with others!).

This customer was so surprised and pleased that she sought out my boss and 
mentioned how helpful I was.  Gerry, being an old Japanese fellow with 
many, many years experience in the nursery trade, and with degrees from 
California Polytechnic, had never heard of this rare plant and was sure I 
was making it all up to sound important.  He confronted me later in the day 
on the matter.  Being naive and naturally helpful, I ushered him into the 
office, pulled out a copy of the Sunset Garden Book, and pointed to their 
brief mention of the plant.  As I turned my gaze to see him looking at the 
page, I realized I had made a fatal error in showing him something he did 
not know.

I was fired a couple of weeks later, just after they hired a friend of 
Gerry's son (who had no knowledge of plants and little interest!).

So I always chuckle inwardly when I see this plant growing, and now you all 
know why!   ;-)
Regards,
Seán O.

h o r t u l u s   a p t u s     -    'a garden suited to its purpose'
Seán A. O'Hara            fax (707) 667-1173         sean@support.net
710 Jean Street, Oakland, CA 94610-1459, U.S.A.
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