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 nepenthoides is a tall, early-flowering species. The emerging stem has an amazing pattern of pink, green and brown, which then is repeated on the spathe. The middle of the three lobes curves over the spadix like a snake's head - hence the name of cobra lily. Leaves ap