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Trees- ShrubsFriar’s Cowl (Arisarum vulgare)
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Arisarum vulgare can be found within the Family Araceae. Closely related species can be found in the genus Arum. It is a small flower that grows in patches. The leaves are oval to heart-shaped and between six to 12 cm (1). They are plain green in colour; they may have darker spots or marks. The flowers are on long stalks and are held among or above the leaves. The flower is narrow, four to five centimetres long and green to chocolate-brown. It is often striped in the lower half and speckled. It is hooded above and tubular below. Any berries found are greenish in colour (2).
It is a short to medium perennial. It flowers twice a year between March and May and then between October and November (1).
It prefers shaded or semi-shaded habitats with moist soil. It is often found in rocky places, banks, grassy locations, open ground and cultivated land (2).
It can be found throughout the Mediterranean region as well as the Azores and the Canary islands (2).
Description written by Lilli Lehtinen (2009)
(1) Polunin. O (1980) Flowers of Greece and the Balkans, a field guide, Oxford University Press, New
(2) Blamey. M., and Grey-Wilson. C. (1993) Mediterranean wild flowers, Harper Collins Publishers, Great Britain
