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Dancing Crane Cobra Lily

Arisaema heterophyllum (air-uh-SEE-muh het-er-oh-FILL-um)

Family: Araceae Non-native Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Dancing crane cobra lily is an herbaceous perennial native to most of China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. It is a member of the arum family (Araceae). The specific epithet is Greek for “having diverse leaves,” and highlights the leaf plasticity that is common in this species and has caused many misidentifications. This species is widely grown and well regarded for its ease of culture. The dancing crane cobra lily is adaptable to well-drained, open, humus-rich soils in partial shade. The species grows from a corm, which will multiply in the ground over time. Propagation is by division of the clusters of corms or by seed. The flower is a long pitcher-shaped green and purple spathe enveloping a prominently long spadix that extends about 1 foot. in spring to summer. The compound leaves are horse-shape with 12 or more leaflets, giving it an unusual appearance. The dancing crane cobra lily is a good choice for an Asian garden or woodland garden. For a native plant or pollinator garden, the native green dragon ( Arisaema dracontium ) is a better choice. Use this plant as a ground cover or accent in the border. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. More information on Arisaema .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 58 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Arisaema dracontium

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Bulb; Herbaceous Perennial
Life cycle
Bulb; Perennial
USDA zones
5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 0 ft. 8 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low; Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Columnar
Texture
Medium
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Leaf arrangement
Other/more complex
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Papery
Leaf value
Showy
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
The horseshoe-shaped leaf has 12 or more ovate leaflets.
Fall color
Insignificant
Flower color
Green; Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Spadix
Flower shape
Irregular
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Green and purple spathe in the shape of a pitcher with a 1-foot-long spadix that extends well beyond the spathe.
Bloom time
Summer
Fruit color
Gold/Yellow; Red/Burgundy
Fruit type
Berry
Stem color
Green
Stem detail
3-foot greenflower stem
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
China, eastern Asia
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall
Fruit type
Berry
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Meadow; Naturalized Area; Riparian; Slope/Bank; Woodland
Landscape theme
Asian Garden; Shade Garden
Garden tags
#spadix #slope #asian theme #part shade garden #bulb #herbaceous perennial #naturalized area #woodland #unusual flowers #unusual leaves
Problems & Resistance
Problems
Contact Dermatitis; Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Children; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses
Fire risk
low flammability
Poison severity
Low
Poison parts
Leaves; Roots
Poison symptoms
Irritation and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat if it is eaten raw
Toxic principle
calcium oxalate
Contact dermatitis
No
Toxicity summary
Low severity poison; parts: Leaves; Roots

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.