The plain green leaves of A. cylindraceum appear in early spring (late March–early May) followed by the flowers borne on a poker-shaped inflorescence called a spadix, which is partially enclosed in a grass-green spathe or leaf-like hood.

[2] In autumn, the lower ring of (female) flowers forms a cluster of bright red berries which remain after the spathe and other leaves have withered away.

However, their acrid taste, coupled with the almost immediate tingling sensation in the mouth when consumed, means that large amounts are rarely taken and serious harm is unusual.

A. cylindraceum, however, does not usually occur in the wild in the UK, but in Central Europe both species are found, often growing in the same locations.

The only characteristic that sets the two species apart with certainty all year is the tuber, which is horizontal with A. maculatum but vertical with A.

Today colonies of A. cylindraceum are still found close to church sites, although the species seems to have died out in southern Sweden.