Contact: Diane Relf, Extension Specialist, Environmental Horticulture
Posted April 1997
Though Jack-in-the-Pulpit is a native Virginia plant, the large, compound leaves add a touch of the exotic to shady borders. After the flower fades the leaves continue to grow, approaching 12 to 24 inches in height. A bright, red berry cluster ripens in the fall, providing a spark of color for the autumn garden.
This hardy perennial prefers moist, acid (pH 5- 6.5) soil rich in organic matter, and requires a partially shady location. Mulch the bed with an organic mulch to conserve water. When conditions are suitable, it will return every spring and may spread rapidly.
Jack-in-the-Pulpit is best propagated from seed collected in the fall and planted at once in moist, humus-rich soil, either in the permanent growing location or in a shaded nursery bed. For indoor growing, stratify the seeds in moist media at less than 40 degrees F. for six to twelve weeks. Germination can take from one to six months, but is usually successful. The plants should reach blooming size by the second spring after planting.
Plants may also be purchased from a nursery or collected from the wild. Collect plants from private land with the permission of the owner. Transplant young plants as soon as they appear in the spring, or mark the spot the plants are growing and return in the fall when the foliage dies back to dig them then. When moving growing plants, try to remove the entire root system and as much of the surrounding soil as possible, and replant the plant as soon as possible. In the fall, the one to two inch corms are simpler to move; plant them approximately three times their depth. Wear gloves when handling corms or plants as some people develop a skin rash after touching the plants. Though Jack-in-the-Pulpit is not endangered, do not remove all of the plants from a given colony. One or two plants will give you a start without ravaging the forest.
Jac-in-the-Pulpit plants have the unusual habit of changing sex as they grow. Their sex is related to the size of the plant the previous year -- small plants have no flower, medium have male flowers, large have female flowers, and a few plants will have both sexes of flowers. To encourage the production of female flowers and the resulting colorful fruit, keep the soil moist throughout the summer and top dress the soil with compost to assure adequate fertility.
American Indians boiled and ate the starchy corms of Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Some people may find this romantic, but it is not recommended, as calcium oxalate found in all parts of the plant cause it to be poisonous when raw. Besides, it is much more interesting in the garden than on a dinner plate.
(Prepared by Ellen Silva, Extension Technician, Consumer Horticulture, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0327.)
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