Hardy aroids emerging

Last year I was brave and planted some aroids outside in the brick path garden.  Now they are starting to break through the soil surface and enjoy these unseasonably warm days we’ve been having.

Arisarum proboscideum - Mouse Tail Plant

If you look closely, you’ll notice in the picture above there are two different blooms (mice) on my little clump of Arisarum.  You will also notice there are lots of little red brick shards and clumps of gray mortar.  This plant is growing in the garden around the greenhouse and when the greenhouse was bricked a couple of months ago, the area really got trampled.  Some of the plants that we put in last year are probably gone now, but several are coming up and looking really nice.  I was especially happy to see these little “Mouse Tails.”

Zantedeschia aethiopica - first leaf

The Zantedeschia aethiopica is not much to look at right now – just a single leaf.  I don’t expect it to bloom this year, but if it does, I will be very happy – and you can expect an update!  Jason gave me this plant last year.

Mouse in the garden

It seems there is a mouse in my plant!

Arisarum proboscideum bloom

Ever since I saw a picture of Arisarum proboscideum a couple of years ago, I have wanted some of my own.  This little plant is commonly referred to as "Mouse Tail Plant" since the blooms look like the hind quarters of a little mouse.  Christie is very fond of mice, and as you can imagine, she really likes this plant.

Arisarum proboscideum

Arisarum is a genus in the aroid family and many of the species are hardy in my zone, including this particular plant.  I purchased two of these little plants and one of them came with a mouse (bloom) on the plant.  I have planted them in our new flowerbed that we just installed around the greenhouse.  Hopefully the pups won't step on them too much while they are small and fragile.  Eventually the might spread out a bit and form a colony of mice.