California Invasive Plant Council

Arum italicum

Synonyms: Arum italicum Mill., Arum italicum subsp. italicum

Common names: Italian Arum, Italian lords and ladies, large cuckoo pint, orange candleflower

Arum italicum (Italian Arum) is a tuber-forming perennial in the family Araceae that has been used extensively in the horticultural industry. It is native to much of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia and has naturalized throughout the wetter regions of the western U.S. as well as locally in the eastern U.S., in Australia, New Zealand, portions of South America, and other regions. The plant is noted for its aggressive growth habit in gardens and riparian areas, its ability to cause contact dermatitis, and for being unpalatable to toxic for livestock. It reproduces both by seed that can be carried long distances and by lateral tubers, making it very difficult to control once established.

Cal-IPC Rating: Watch

CDFA Rating: None?

Explanation of CDFA ratings

• A – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and is either not known to be established in California or it is present in a limited distribution that allows for the possibility of eradication or successful containment.
• B – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is of limited distribution.
• C – A pest of known economic or environmental detriment and, if present in California, it is usually widespread.
• D – An organism known to be of little or no economic or environmental detriment, to have an extremely low likelihood of weediness, or is known to be a parasite or predator.
• Q – An organism or disorder suspected to be of economic or environmental detriment, but whose status is uncertain because of incomplete identification or inadequate information.
• * – An asterisk next to the rating indicates that a plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds.
• -* – This plant is included in the CCR Section 4500 list of California State Noxious Weeds, but is otherwise not rated.

More details

Assessment(s)

Plant Risk Assessment - An evaluation of the potential for a plant to be invasive in California.

Weed Management Notes

Cal-IPC Newsletter Articles

• Species spotlight: Italian lords-and-ladies. Burger, Jutta. Vol 29, Issue 2

Cal-IPC Symposium Presentations

Presentations are linked where available. Where a presentation is not available, find more information by reading the abstract in the Cal-IPC Symposia Archive.

There are no Symposium presentations associated with this species yet.

Other Arum italicum Information

• Bugwood - National database from the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health at the University of Georgia.
• CalPhotos - Images of plants taken mostly in California.
• Calflora - Distribution map and records of this species in California.
• EDDMapS - Distribution of this species in North America.
• GBIF - Global distribution information.
• Jepson Interchange - Information on this plant's taxonomy, biology, and distribution from UC Berkeley's Jepson Herbarium.
• USDA PLANTS Database - Information on identification and distribution, with links to websites in individual states.
• The Plant List - Global taxonomic resource and collaborative clearinghouse from Kew Gardens, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the Missouri Botanic Garden and others.

Additional photos