Jack in the Pulpit

Photographer: Dale HugoSummary Author: Dale Hugo

My wife and I enjoy our membership at the Chicago Botanic Garden. On a recent visit, at the top of the waterfall area (alas, it’s plumbed, not natural, but beautifully done) there was a place to sit and take in the sound of falling water. I looked over and saw what appeared to be a cluster of green grapes, but very small ones. The sign nearby identified the plant as Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Arisaema triphyllum. Note that this seems to be the most common Latin name, but dating all the way back to Linnaeus, it’s gone through several naming schemes. Even its common name has several colloquialisms, including Jack and Jill.

The berries have 1 to 5 seeds in them and turn bright red when ready to harvest. Some people plant the seeds to enjoy the bright color in the fall, in well-shaded gardens (bottom photo). You'll notice that this clump has been nibble on. Chipmunks and other such critters regard these berries as one of the autumn food sources that help get through the long northern Illinois' winters.

But you don’t want to eat the berries or any part of the plant, it contains oxalic acid, think ‘toilet bowl cleaner’ as one use of this acid commercially. Although poisonous to people, birds can eat them and therefore scatter the seeds for the plant. If you look closely, you should see another much smaller bunch of seeds on the stalk in the upper right-hand part of the top photo. 

 

Glencoe, Illinois Coordinates: 42.1350, -87.7581

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