You love them or hate them. We love them. The Arisaemas, also known as cobra lilies, are distinguished by their hooded spathes, often with a long 'tail' at the tip, along which pollenating insects crawl. They have an interesting sex life. Young plants (they grow from tubers) are male, but when mature they become female, and then have most impressive spikes of red or orange fruits in autumn. If they are starved, they can become male again. They should be mulched in winter to retain a little moisture, or they can be grown in pots, which are sunk in sand or soil.

Arisaema candidissimum is completely different from its brooding relatives, with their sombre colours. It looks more like something from a 1960's seaside funfair, with the spathe candy pink, striped with white. Easy to grow, and steadily increasing the number of tubers, which c