How to prune mousetail arum

Immediately after the spathe collapses (late spring); foliage tidy in summer. Cut the spent flower stalk to ground level once the spathe has wilted. Leave foliage to die back fully on its own — the leaves fund the underground tuber. Cut dead stems to the base before dormancy.

Once per season. Mousetail arum (Helicodiceros muscivorus) needs almost no pruning. The carrion-scented spathe collapses within a day or two of opening; remove it at the base promptly if the smell is a concern. Allow all foliage to die back naturally in summer, then cut stems to the ground before dormancy.

Cut the spent flower stalk to ground level once the spathe has wilted. Leave foliage to die back fully on its own — the leaves fund the underground tuber. Cut dead stems to the base before dormancy.