Kendall County (IL) Forest Preserve District
Green Dragon
Arisaema dracontium
[C-value
7]
Arum family (Araceae)
Blooms mid-May -
June
The fascinating native Green Dragon is uncommon in our area. It prefers dappled sunlight in spring, light shade in summer and moist loamy soil with decaying leaves. Habitats include rich moist deciduous woodlands and shady seeps. This perennial is 1½–2½' tall and consists of a single compound leaf and a single flowering stalk. The compound leaf (on a stout erect stalk up to 2' tall) is up to 2' across with 5-13 leaflets parallel with the ground. Each dark green leaflet is up to 8" long and 2½" across, oval-shaped and untoothed. The whitish green flowering stalk, emerging at the plant's base, grows to ½–1' tall with a single flower having a pale green spathe about 2" long and a whitish green spadix 4-10" long tapering gradually to a point at its tip.
Green Dragon at Jay Woods Forest Preserve woodland June 1, 2013
Note the emerging flower stalk just above the ground.
Green Dragon (looking down from above) at Jay Woods Forest Preserve woodland June 1, 2013
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