Green goddess
Botanical Name
Zantedeschia aethiopica ‘Green Goddess’
Family
Araceae (arum)
Where is it originally from?
South Africa
What does it look like?
Clump-forming, evergreen perennial (<1.5 m) growing from tubers, with large glossy, leathery, dark-green, arrow-shaped leaves (to 45 cm x 25 cm) with pale fine veins and wavy margins, held upright on long stalks (<1 m). Yellow, finger-like spikes, surrounded by large, greenish-white, funnel-shaped, modified leaves (<25 cm, Sep-Dec), form a flower-like structure that is followed by round green or yellow berries (1 cm) on the flower stalk after the leaves die back.
Are there any similar species?
Italian arum (Arum italicum) is smaller and has distinctive cream-coloured markings on its leaf.
Why is it weedy?
Tolerates a wide range of conditions including wet, wind, salt, hot to cold, most soil types and moderate shade, and is drought-resistant once established.
How does it spread?
Seed is spread by birds and water, and it also spreads by fragments of tubers.
What damage does it do?
Forms dense cover on the ground in open sites, shading out native plants and preventing native plants establishing.
Which habitats is it likely to invade?
Swamps, river banks, open damp areas with high light to part shade and regenerating ex-pasture.
What can I do to get rid of it?
1. Dig out scattered plants (all year round): remove all pieces of root and dispose of them at a refuse transfer station.
2. Cut and paint stumps: metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (1g) + glyphosate (100ml) + penetrant per 1L water. Mulch the leaves and dispose of seeds at refuse transfer station.
3. Overall spray: metsulfuron-methyl 600g/kg (3g) + glyphosate (150ml) + penetrant per 10L water.
What can I do to stop it coming back?
Plant a dense cover of native trees or shrubs to produce deep shade.
