Extension for Real Life

What’s This Plant?: Client Q&A

Do you have a mysterious plant coming up in your yard and you’re not sure how it got there?

Extension has answers. Our experts can tell you what it is and the best ways to eradicate, control, or manage it.

We frequently get questions like this one from Lynda:

Q: Can anyone tell me what this is?  It is coming up all over my yard. -Lynda 

A: This is Arum italicum, Italian arum. It’s grown as an ornamental and is known to misbehave. It spreads by rhizomes and animals disperse the berries. Round Up or digging the plants up will get rid of it. -Gary Bachman, Extension horticulture specialist and Southern Gardening host and columnist

Fortunately, Lynda has an inexpensive way to manage this plant, also commonly called Italian lords-and-ladies. In some areas of the country, it is considered an invasive plant. Invasive species can wreak havoc on local ecosystems and threaten native species, so be careful of what you introduce into your landscape.

If you are thinking about adding or replacing trees and shrubs in your landscape, check out our Extension publications on selecting landscape trees and shrubs. These publications include lists of trees and shrubs that perform well in Mississippi’s climate zones, along with information about size, light needs, water needs, and notes about each plant.