Some plants add a certain kind of pizazz or elegance to our world. Such is the case for Green Dragons, Arisaema dracontium. Although not commonly seen, unless you frequent moist woodlands in early spring, this forest floor plant has a wide distribution across the eastern U.S. and Canada. As for the name, well, the person that described it apparently saw a long, flickering lizard’s tongue under a multi-lobed dragon’s mane.
Thanks to my friend Jim Reeves, Mary and I have two Green Dragons growing in pots at our coastal Mississippi home. Both bulbs sent by Jim sprouted quickly over the last two weeks and now show the distinctive leaf (yes, only one) and the unique flower. What looks like multiple leaves is just a single, highly dissected leaf, with two main stems and multiple leaflets.
The flower is called a spathe, that is largely enclosed, with only a slit exposing male or female parts, as this species is dioecious, having separate male and female plants. A long spadix rises above the base creating the so-call dragon’s tongue, the function of which is anyone’s guess. Flies are the apparent pollinator of this species, resulting in a cluster of orange-red berries.
To see one in moist woods will certainly turn your head, as with its close relative Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum. Birds and some mammals enjoy the fruits of both species, but the underground tubers are not friendly to mammals, including humans. These tubers are laced with crystals of calcium oxalate and other toxins.
The crystals will give you the sensation of tiny needles dancing on your tongue and a sense of burning if ingested uncooked. And yet, some native Americans used a preparation of this plant to treat female disorders. The roots were also used in a sacred mix that gave the user the power of supernatural dreams. Perhaps the common name came from ingesting that concoction that created a dream of dragons.
Although considered relatively rare, Green Dragons and Jack-in-the-Pulpits are best seen in early spring when their distinctive leaves and flowers appear in shaded, mature, moist woodlands. Sadly, these habitats are not as common as they use to be, but a quick look at distributions reported in apps like iNaturalist will guide you to the best places to find them. For those of us in coastal Mississippi, the moist woodlands at the Pascagoula River Wildlife Management Area, southwest of Lucedale, Mississippi has them.
So, get out there and enjoy the views of these gorgeous plants. And if you see one, record it in iNaturalist so others can also enjoy them.
Hope to see you in our great outdoors!