Arum maculatum: how to get rid of them... the easy way

 I've yet to meet a garden owner who actually likes this plant:

 

The proper name is Arum maculatum, which always makes me think of eye problems (macular degeneration, I think), or Arum italicum if you have the version with white marbled leaves: commonly known as Lords and Ladies, Cuckoo-Pint or, if you went to school where I did, Waggling Willies.

They grow from underground tubers, and pop their early leaves up at this time of year. Then you get the amusing flowers: then in autumn the seeds turn a glorious shade of orangey red.

...but hearken to the warning in the seeds! Red for danger! Each one of those red seeds contains between 4 and 8 individual seeds, and the red pods are packed tightly together, resulting in what is called a generous self-seeder, which can quickly become a real pest in the garden.

They are also toxic (in fact, all parts of this plant contain irritant chemicals, thus not endearing itself to me), but frankly, as a gardener, it's the warning about rampant spreading.....

 

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