Mouse Plant (Arisarum proboscideum)

This beautiful little woodland plant is native to Italy and Spain. It has settled into my garden very well. Its gorgeous green arrowhead leaves form a low, spreading carpet beginning late in winter.

 It is a joy to part the leaves every spring and see the lovely little mouse like flowers hiding beneath.  If you didn't go looking, the flowers would come and go unseen.  The long tail on each fat little spathes lends the flowers the appearance of a family of mice, enhanced by the chocolate-maroon coloration of the upper portion and tail. The lower portion of the spathe is white.

It is hardy and easily grown, it grows from a tuber that develops rhizomes which develop more tubers and offsets, for a slowly expanding clump, never invasive but may after many years need to be lifted and divided.

It is one of my favourite plants in the garden, it's not showy or colourful,
but its shy little flowers are a true joy and I look forward to seeing it every spring.