Report #6903 - Report: Italian Arum (Arum italicum)

Italian Arum (Arum italicum) on Mar 23, 2025

Submitter does not have a specimen

Description of specimen

Multiple locations of both mature and immature Italian Arum in both my and my neighbors yards. Was here when I moved in and have been trying to eradicate since. No luck so far.

Glyophosphate seems to kill the leaves, but they reappear each year and seem to still be spreading with new shoots.

Commentary

Thanks for the report Dana! Italian arum is a very difficult plant to control. Herbicides struggle to kill the root. It is toxic so use gloves when handling. Your best bet is to dig it out. The roots and their attached bulbs can be up to a foot deep. Sift through all the soil to get out all those little bulbs. If you don't get them all, you risk spreading it. Put all plant material in a bag, tie shut, and put in trash, not the compost. Expect multiple years of working at it to remove them.

Here's some more info for you.
https://tualatinswcd.org/species/italian-arum/
https://tualatinswcd.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Italian-Arum_BMP.pdf
https://solvepestproblems.oregonstate.edu/weeds/italian-arum

Thanks,
Keith Nasman
Invasive Species Technician
Tualatin Soil & Water Conservation District
971-330-0902
keith.nasman@tualatinswcd.org

Keith Nasman
March 26, 2025, 9:41 a.m.

Remedy

Italian arum can be difficult to eradicate once established. Make sure to wear gloves and long sleeves and pants when removing it, as its sap can cause skin irritation. Do not compost or put in your yard debris, as this can lead to spreading of tubers which can grow into new plants. Home control methods can include carefully digging out the tuber and any daughter tubers and disposing in the trash. Cutting and disposing of the berries in the trash can help prevent spreading to new sites. Herbicide trials are still inconclusive, please contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District if you are interested in chemical control.

Italian Arum (Arum italicum) on Mar 23, 2025

Description of specimen

Commentary

Remedy

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