How to Grow Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema)

Jack-in-the-pulpit is a woodland perennial that grows 2 to 3 feet high. It has dramatic hooded flowers in shades of green with dark markings.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Bypass Pruners
• Compost Makers
• Fertilizers
• Hand Cultivators
• Mulch
• Plants
• Seeds

Choosing Jack-in-the-Pulpit

1. Look for plants at nurseries in spring and summer.

2. Buy jack-in-the-pulpit in 4-inch to 1-gallon containers.

3. Choose healthy-looking plants with signs of new growth in leaves and flower buds.

Caring for Jack-in-the-Pulpit

1. Remove old foliage in spring, using bypass pruners to cut off the old stems.

2. Apply a light application of organic fertilizer on top of the soil in early spring (follow package directions).

3. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost in spring.

4. Water well weekly until soil is completely moist in summers with no rainfall.

Planting Jack-in-the-Pulpit

1. Plant jack-in-the-pulpit in part shade in well-drained soil that stays moist year-round.

2. Add a light application of organic fertilizer to the planting hole.

3. Place the plants no deeper than they were growing in the containers.

4. Set the plants 6 to 9 inches apart.

5. Mulch around but not on top of the plants with 3 inches of organic compost.

6. Water well until soil is completely moist.