Marsh Cinquefoil vs Water Arum - TreeTime.ca

Marsh Cinquefoil vs Water Arum

Comarum palustre

Calla palustris

CUSTOM GROW

CUSTOM GROW

Marsh Cinquefoil
Water Arum

Marsh Cinquefoil is a native perennial wetland plant with striking reddish-purple, star-shaped flowers. They bloom in early to mid-summer, providing nectar for bees, flies, and other pollinators. Beyond its summer blooms, the foliage turns red in autumn, adding seasonal interest to wetland landscapes.

Common in wetlands, pond margins, and wet meadows, Marsh Cinquefoil spreads by rhizomes to form colonies or patches that contribute to shoreline stabilization. It thrives in nutrient-poor, saturated soils where many other plants struggle, making it valuable in challenging wetland conditions. With its ecological function and ornamental appeal, it is well-suited for wetland plantings, ecological restoration, and naturalized projects.

Water Arum is a native perennial wetland plant known for its showy white oval sheaths (spathe) that surround a yellow-green, cylindrical flower spike (spadix). It has large, oblong, heart-shaped leaves on stems that rise above the water from shallow, spreading rhizomes. The blossoms are followed in late summer by tiny, pear-shaped fruits that ripen to bright red, adding ornamental interest to wet habitats.

Water Arum provides food for birds and small mammals that eat its berries, and its flowers attract pollinators. It can tolerate cold climates and forms colonies in shallow water and saturated soils. It is well-suited for ecological restoration, riparian planting, naturalisation, and habitat projects in wet and shaded environments.

Marsh Cinquefoil Quick Facts

Water Arum Quick Facts

Zone: 1b
Zone: 1b
Height: 0.5 m (1.5 ft)
Height: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Spread: 0.3 m (1.0 ft)
Spread: 0.2 m (0.8 ft)
Light: partial shade, full sun
Light: shade, partial shade
Moisture: wet
Moisture: wet
Growth rate: fast
Growth rate: medium
Life span: short
Life span: short
Growth form: ascending to upright
Growth form: colony-forming
Spreading: seeds - medium, rhizomes - medium
Spreading: rhizomes - medium, seeds - low


Toxicity: toxic if ingested
Flowers: dark red/maroon, star-shaped
Flowers: white sheath around and yellow spike
Bloom time: summer
Bloom time: spring to summer
Berries: red, in clusters
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, PE
Other Names: marsh five fingers, purple cinquefoil, purple marshlocks
Other Names: bog arum, swamp lily, wild calla, wild dragon