FNPS Plant Database

Arisaema triphyllum

jack-in-the-pulpit

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Nomenclature

Common Name:

jack-in-the-pulpit

Synonym(s):

Genus species:

Arisaema triphyllum

Family:

Araceae

Plant Specifics

Form:

flower

Size:

1-1.5 ft tall by approx. 1 ft wide

Life Span:

long-lived perennial

Flower Color:

green

Fruit Color:

red

Phenology:

blooms late winter, early spring; winter dormant

Noted For:

Showy Fruits

Landscaping

Recommended Uses:

Retain if present. Interesting in a moist shade garden as its flowers form a small "preacher in a pulpit".

Considerations:

Poisonous--contains calcium oxalate crystals.

Availability:

Seed, Specialty Providers

Propagation:

Seed

Light:

Shade

Moisture Tolerance:

Always Flooded------------------------------------------------Extremely Dry

-|----|--- <---------------------> -|----|----|----|------

Stays wet ---to--- Somewhat moist, no flooding

Salt Water Flooding Tolerance:

Not salt tolerant of inundation by salty or brackish water.

Salt Spray/Salty Soil Tolerance:

Low/no tolerance of salty wind or direct salt spray

Soil or Other Substrate:

Loam, Sand

Soil pH:

acidic

Suitable to Grow In:

8A, 8B, 9A, 9B

USDA zones are based on the average annual extreme minimum winter temperature.



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Ecology

Wildlife:

Birds, Mammals
Birds and other wildlife consume fruit.
Pollinators

Pollinated by flies.

Native Habitats:

moist hammocks

Natural Range in Florida:

Comments:

Ethnobotany:

Native Americans gathered the fleshy corms as a vegetable and either dried them or cooked them to dissolve the calcium oxalate crystals.

General Comments:

The interesting flower shape reminded early settlers of someone standing in a pulpit.

Citations:

Huegel, Craig N. 2012. Native Wildflowers and Other Ground Covers for Florida Landscapes. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Osorio, Rufino. 2001. A Gardener's Guide to Florida's Native Plants. University Press of Florida, Gainesville.


Wunderlin, R. P., B. F. Hansen, A. R. Franck, and F. B. Essig. 2021. Atlas of Florida Plants ( https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/ ). Institute for Systematic Botany, University of South Florida, Tampa.

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