Urashima-so (Arisaema thunbergii subsp. urashima)

Urashima-so: The Japanese Cobra Lily with a Whip

Urashima-so (Arisaema thunbergii subsp. urashima) is a fascinating Japanese woodland perennial. In spring, it produces a distinctive inflorescence: a green and white striped spathe (hood) with a long, thread-like, whip-like appendage (the spadix appendix) extending up to 18 inches outward, resembling a fishing line. The radiate leaves (11-17 leaflets) emerge atop a mottled petiole.

Woodland Collector's Plant

Grow in moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil in deep to partial shade. It is a spring ephemeral, going dormant in summer. Mulch with leaf mold. The extraordinary "whip" makes it a prized specimen for shade gardens and collectors of unusual plants. Synonyms include Flagellarisaema urashima, Arisaema thunbergii var. monostachyum, and Arisaema urashima.

Taxonomy

• Family: Araceae
• Genus: Arisaema
• Species: thunbergii subsp. urashima
• Synonyms: Flagellarisaema urashima, Arisaema thunbergii var. monostachyum, Arisaema urashima