Yeah, good word, "Nutlets" These here weren't that far down, cause I got them in a big pot here by the front door. I put a Serisa (hope that's right) anyhow it was supposed to be a Bonsai in ti and It is not a bonsai now but very easy to start. Has tiny blooms on it. got plenty if you want some. Anyhow also a Wingleaf elm, which I didn't even know what it
was ti I looked it up. It sort of neat too. Guess I must be hooked on everything. HUH????
I love the speckles on the stem of these voodoos too, don't you??
What is this
I do like the splotchy stems..I like everything about these weirdos.. except the bloom smell.. but it's usually warm enough by then to be able to get them outside and down-wind. (ya know what I mean) I had an impatien plant with leaf backs splotched kind of like Kongjac stems..have you ever heard of that?? Let me get a pic..I've never heard of Serisa, or Wingleaf Elm.... but I think I'd swap some things with you.. maybe we need to dmail? lol - I thought I was hooked on everything once, too... hey, we have a LOT more to go IF we're ever to be "into" EVERYTHING. ... and if won't grow hardy in my zone... I REALLY need at least one or 2..
I'll go get Pictures , may be too dark now. Winter is on it way
and it is getting darker earlier. Yes, I'd like that. We can d-mail;
how about that? I almost forgot to put the sms card in, I've done that.
Took pictures with no card. Guess what, there was no pic.
Boy, did I feel goofy?
Oh Aunt B I didn't mean not to answer you. I planned to take a pic of my black stem and forgot. I get sidetraced easily. I will try to get one later today. I have been going out everyday but today I am staying in the garden. I have so much to do to get ready for winter!
I have 1 konjacs in the ground for about 4 years. NO babies! Yet the ones I have in pots multiply like crazy. I just can't figure that one out.
Kell, I dug up one of my 4 pounders yesterday and it had no babies. A nickle sized one in the spring is now tennis ball sized and gave me 3 babies. Dime sized.
Edited because my spelling stunk!
This message was edited Oct 6, 2009 6:00 PM
It may be saving it's strength til it is ready to go to the "Happy hunting Ground"
To make Babies. Tommy, is yours in pots?
Yes mine was in a BIG pot. PLENTY of room for babies. From what I gather so far they don't always make them? True or false? This is my first year with them and I love them so far!
Evidently not. But there is someone out there that will get you an answer,
We just have to wait and see.
I didn't realize there was so many different ones. Yes, fun to grow!
This is the stem pattern on my A pranii, it's still only small.
My A titanum is beginning to emerge. I don't think it's going to be flower yet, but I'll soon find out.
None of the A symonianus, A bulbifera and A paeoniifolius are showing any signs of emerging yet.
I scored a titanum this past weekend about 15" tall for $25. I also got an aroid that looks similar to an amorphophalus, except it has "stickers" (my term for things that can stick or prick or cut causing pain!!!) along the speckled stem. It's labeled Anchomanes difformis var. welwitschi. I hope I can keep them alive over winter!
Marianne
There's some photos of it on:
www.aroid.org/genera/speciespage.php?genus=anchomanes&species=difformis
What a wicked looking plant. But quite interesting.
You got a good one, Marianne, have to handle that one
with gloves, like a rose bush.
Charleen
Love the pattern on the A pranii, beautiful. Glad you are coming into spring since we are going into winter. We can live vicariously thru you....LOL
Anchomanes difformis var. welwitschi does look wicked. Very cool.
WOW Tropicbreeze, so cool A pranii. I will have to look for that one. I love patterned stalks. Is it so warm and humid where you are?
Here A. titanum has to be GH grown. I know the hard way! I have tried 3 times with not even a little bit of luck. A recent UC Berkeley Botanical fall sale had nice big ones for sale and it killed me to walk on by. Soooooo cool yours is growing outside.
Tommyr, I wonder why some are so hesitant to make babies. I know mine in pots have so many stalks! And I haven't taken a pic of my black stemmed one yet. Out of sight, out of mind. I better hurry for soon they will all collapse.
Here is a Amorphophallus titanum in seed at UC.
That is strange looking.
Have to love the uniqueness of these plants.
One of my 4 pounders planted this spring is now 13 pounds! It went from 7" across to 11 1/2"! The other 4 pounder didn't grow at all but it was under a patio all year and did not get the same amount of water. Next spring it goes in the open sky.
Look at the difference!
Lordy, merci, those are fantastic. What a difference in sizes.
I would be proud of those too. Thanks for the sowing.
Charleen
WOW, I have never seen anything like that Tommy.
How tall did that grow?
Oh I can't wait until mine grows up.
About my height, 5' 8" tall.
Wow!!1 I want one of everything. Especially the blue stem.
Sounds heavenly. But I do have a few. But do so enjoy,
looking at everyone else;s and wanting. AHHHHHHHHHH
MEEEEEEEE!!!! Gorgeous, you all.
Charleen
tommy that is amazing, I would love to see mine grow that big....LOL
Just amazing.
A lot of my Amorphophallus paeoniifolius have emerged but opened out into leaves so far. The big one is just about to break through the soil and might be a flower. None of the very small ones have shown up yet.
My A. bulbifer has broken through but can't tell if it's a flower or leaf yet.
The A. symonianus is about to break through, but will most probably still be a leaf.
The A. titanum is about 25 cms high now and now definitely looks like it's still going to be a leaf.
And the A. pranii is just a leaf, about 30 cms high.
tropicbreeze, you are killing me where are the pics? I wanna seeeeee, please?
Okay, these are photos from this morning.
A. pranii looking a bit knocked around. It was moved around a lot and then planted out into the ground while this size. Had to put the rocks around it to stop the Jungle Fowl digging it out.
A. symonianus only newly emerged.
A. bulbifer, has a bit of a start on the symonianus. It's big enough to flower but I can't tell yet from that shoot.
A. titanum is one of only two that I have growing in pots. I'm worried about fungus and nematodes getting at it. The other one I have in a pot is my biggest A. paeoniifolius.
These A. paeoniifolius are in a garden bed that gets watered and that's why they're ahead of all the other paeoniifolius (including my largest). Mine have never had a smell while flowering. Most of what people grow are bought ones (or descendents of bought ones) that I think have come from Asia. Mine are local, they're native to this area. I got the original ones from the wild. I suspect our native ones have abandoned the habit of putting on a stink when they want to reproduce. Now, isn't that far more civilized? ;O)
Very nice photos.
enjoyed them all, Thanks.
Charleen
Thank you tropicbreeze for the photos. Would love to have that many growing in my yard and wish I was heading into summer instead of winter..... will have to live thru your photos this winter....LOL I have never smelled one blooming and honestly don' think I want to.....yes much more civilized of yours not to smell.....
Think I will ask for some for the holidays. Good idea about the big rocks, I need to try that my dog for some odd reason likes to dig at my Autumn Joy Sedum, only plant he bothers and he digs at both of them.
If you can keep posting pics cause I would love to watch their progress.
Happygarden, when I update I'll start a new thread. Long threads take so long to load, especially with my slow internet connection.
Sounds good, thanks.
Ok, I managed not to kill the voodoo lily over the winter. I let it go dormant i the pot, and low and behold I have a little point coming up. Since it was in such a small pot I just poped it out and put it in a larger pot, questions to all of you......
1. I put it in a very big pot, should I take it to a large pot slowly or is this ok?
2. Not being for sure I put it in Miracle grow potting soil because that is what I had. Is this ok?
3. If miracle grow isn't good I do have some orchid potting mix but will have to take it to a smaller pot because I don't have enough for a big pot....
What to do?
Please post pics of yours.
I enjoyed reading this thread and found it to be very spirited. Just out of curiosity I asked Dr. Wilbert Hetterscheid in the Netherlands to take a look at the first photo. I was doubtful this photo was of a form of Amorphophallus konjac and tended to agree with the ID of Amorphophallus paeoniifolius.
Wilbert is the undisputed world expert botanist in Amorphophallus and related genera. He has written many scientific papers and has a book in the works. After he responded I was hesitant to post his response since to many growers this plant may not look like A konjac due to natural variation within aroid species, Wilbert agrees with the majority here, this is a form of Amorphophallus konjac.
As for soil, it will grow in just about anything but a porous mixture that drains quickly is helpful. We grow at least 40 in our NW Arkansas yard and they all go dormant in October and we don't see them again until later May. This is Wilbert's response:
"I am afraid I have to agree with your folks. The colour of the stalk is more pinkish than in the more common clones of this species but that falls well within the total variation pattern of the species. The leaflets also look o.k. for konjac. And when the tuber is of the usual konjac-type with stolons producing the offset tubers, then it all fits. Cheers, Wilbert."
If you are curious about variation within aroids this may help: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Natural%20variation%20within%20aroid%20and%20%20plant%20species.html
Also, please forgive me for being technical but no aroid grows from a bulb or corm. All aroids grow from tubers. There are a few species related to to Amorphophallus that grow from a "corm-like" underground starch storage units but none are truly corms, all aroids grow from tubers. An onion is a bulb and if you cut open an onion you will see layers that are modified leaves. If were to cut open the tuber of this plant or any other aroid you would see no such layers. If any of you are members of the International Aroid Society (and even if you are not) you can find the entire discussion of this subject in the Aroid l archives.
The University of Illinois also has a great page explaining the differences in a bulb, corm, tuber, rhizome and other forms of underground stems You can find it easily on the net by typing in "bulb, corm, tuber"
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/bulbs/bulbbasics.html
Steve
This message was edited May 25, 2010 1:21 PM
This message was edited May 25, 2010 1:27 PM
Thank you again Steve.
Always glad to be involved in a link where folks are anxious to learn. That is how all of us learn together.
One clarification to my last post. Not all aroids grow from a tuber which is nothing more than an underground stem since many grow from an above ground stem (Central axis of the plant with nodes, internodes, roots, etc). Those that do grow from an underground starch storage unit grow from a tuber while some also grow from a rhizome which is a slightly different form of a stem.
There was lots of disagreement on this subject within some members of the IAS until several of our scientists stepped in to resolve the debate. The link I gave to the University of Illinois explains all of this.
I sure don't want to add to any confusion!
Steve
Forever hopeful or maybe just dumb but I bought another big Paeoniifolius tuber! I read somewhere that planting them on their side so the indented side is not able to fill with water is helpful to not rotting them. I have killed 4 of them so I really am hoping not to kill this one off too. Has anyone tried this?
I also have a 2 stalk Titan! I have had it growing on my dining room table now for a few months. It is about 3 feet tall. I read that they will live in the house where as in the past I lost them outside. So far so good.
I am also trying the variegated one Shattered Glass one more time. LOL. And it has broken the surface of the dirt so I am so excited. Such a beauty
This message was edited May 26, 2010 6:54 AM
Every botanist I have exchanged info with says to plant the tuber normally so the petiole can rise normally. Lots of folks create "ideas" that make sense to them but not to Mother Nature. The way to keep a tuber from rotting is to use a fast draining mix. I always find information such as what you quoted interesting since Mother Nature has chosen to grow these plants in some of the wettest rain forests in the world and they naturally become enormous. If she plants them normally why should it make sense to do otherwise?
Of course, some species grow in nature in different ways but that would tend to indicate we should research the species and not use generalities.
The Bonn Botanical Garden which has one of the largest collections in the world recommends the majority of the mix be peat moss with about 10% sand and some granulated material for improved drainage for A. titanum. In nature, many of these species, especially Amorphophallus titanum, live only in a deep layer of leaf litter. I have one that is four years old now and it is planted in peat with a small amount of sand. My A. titanum grows in my artificial rain forest where it is watered by an overhead misting system just like all the other aroids. If the tuber is dormant we remove the pot from the atrium but when it is out of dormancy it is watered 3 days a week during the winter and four to five days a week during the summer. My misting time varies from 3 minutes per day during winter to 8 minutes per day during summer.
I take my lead on the care of this particular plant from Dr. Hetterscheid and from the aroid collection manager at the Missouri Botanical Garden. Both recommend planting this particular tuber in a pot substantially larger than the tuber (up to 5 times the size of the tuber) and deep enough to keep the surface water away from the tuber. Mine stays about 9 inches deep for now but at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Miami, even deeper.
In my atrium I make it a practice to "Listen to Mother Nature, her advice is Best" and it always works. I have no doubt others have been successful with other methods but I prefer to ask advice of the botanists that have observed these plants in nature and study their natural growth behavior.
Of course, every plant owner is free to use any method they personally choose. I just like to study the actual plant before trying a method that may have no basis in Nature or science.
Steve
Kell, your problem might not be so much from water itself as cold water. They (A. paeoniifolius) grow here beside rivers which flood constantly during the wet season. I've often got back to plants when floods recede to find the stalks and leaves covered in silt. This washes off with subsequent rain and the plants thrive despite having been submerged for a number of days. But the water and soil is relatively warm, usually 26C or more.
I don't recommend flooding yours but keeping that temperature up I think is important. When they're dormant and dry, a bit cooler doesn't matter so much.
I only have one A. titanum which unlike A. paeoniifolius is looked after very carefully. It's in a free draining organic mix and gets watered by an automatic sprinkler only every 3 days plus whenever it rains (it's outside). It's been growing constantly for 9 months now and doesn't look like wanting to go dormant any time soon.
This photo is of one of those A. paeoniifolius that goes under flood water regularly.
