I just recieved a Titanum that's pretty good size, and i was wanting to know the best soil to put it in? the heat and humidity in texas shouldn't be a problem, i just don't want it to rot.
Amorphophallus Titanum Questions???
You are one lucky person!
As it's native to the rainforests of Sumatra, and I imagine the trees there would be mostly evergreen, that would leave rotting trees and other litter for it to grow in. The aroid,org site gives detailed information, the link at the bottom.
http://www.aroid.org/genera/amorphophallus/amorph.html
Links to other sites
http://biology.fullerton.edu/facilities/greenhouse/amorphophallus/index.html
I hope you will post pics as it grows!
Just in case you miss this page, there is lots of good information on the two different types of Amorphophallus and their cultivation requirements.
http://www.aroid.org/genera/amorphophallus/amcult.html#Temperature
thanks for the sites. have you ever grown one?
No I haven't, would love to try but this climate would make it impossible! I've got an A. rivieri and bulbifera this spring which were already shooting, waiting for them to come up. I got some A paeoniifolius last autumn but they rotted.
I'm in zone 8a too, but texas weather is very hot and humid and in the winter i will have to put it in a greenhouse.
Some greenhouse! I have greenhouses too, but not heated and we do have high humidity, just not the heat to go with it. We are having a heat wave for this time of year, 15+C many days, it even went to 21C, that's our normal summer temps! Last summer was the hottest on record, but can't rely on that.
What is the purple leaved plant, I thought Crinum x amabile but the leaves don't look quite right, and it appears to have a palm type stem.
Placeniarita, Looks like you have a grand tropical garden. The crinum is a Queen Emmia. jerry
placenciarita~
I potted A. titanum in Miracle-Gro potting mix to which I added some more perlite and some fine vermiculite. Seems to be doing fine.
I put mine outdoors once the nights are above 65F at least. Sometimes I will take it in and out when the days are warm to hot but will take it back in if the nights are still too cool.
I got mine in the fall of 2005 and grew it indoors (as I did last winter too). The high humidity here in summer is good for it, but indoors, it is at normal household humidity. It hasn't shown any signs of edge-browning or other damage from the lower humidity, but I know it would be happier in a greenhouse.
I posted about its dormancy and re-sprouting here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/637821/
R.
Here's a pic from 12/23/06:
thanks. i will do.
PLACENCIRITA, Have you planted your A.titanum outside yet? How is it doing? jerry
it's doing okay... i have killed one before from over watering it. so i'm trying not to kill this one.
Wallaby, in the information posted above on the aroid.org link, they gave the care for group I and group II. The only one I have is A. Konjak, do you know which group that is part of?
Thanks, LindaSC
"Those of strongly seasonal climates can be grown in the heavier soil. This includes all species with elongate tubers, and those from Africa, China, Japan, India, Thailand, Indochina, the Philippines, Java (but not all!), eastern Indonesia, New Guinea and Australia. Also, all three Asian species with a large geographical distribution are used to such soils (A. muelleri, A. paeoniifolius and A. prainii). For easy reference this large group of species will hereafter be referred to as "Group I". "
"Group II comprises nearly all species from Sumatra, Borneo (= Kalimantan, Sarawak, Sabah, and Brunei) and West Malaysia with the exception of the earlier mentioned widespread ones. Group II species must be kept in a well drained soil because their roots only survive long enough to do their job in a well aerated soil. When the soil becomes too dense (through excess water or too much loam) the roots will rot."
A konjac is from Sth china and Vietnam (?)
http://www.aroid.org/genera/amorphophallus/amlist.html
That would place it in group 1
Thank you
Placenciarita, Is this your 'A. Titanum' that rotted? jerry
no this is the second one i have bought , the one that is rotted is the first one
How tall is it now? Mine is just starting to grow, only about six inches tall. My konjac's are starting to put out new stalks. jerry
Are you aware that Amorphophallus titanum is easily propagated from leaf cuttings? If you want to safeguard (or share) plants of it, this is a good way.
Alistair, Iam new to AMORP. titanums, I will give it a try. Thanks for the info jerry
Alistair,
I was wondering how you propagate a titanum from a leaf cutting. I have two small bulbs, one that I have had for about three seasons and the other I got this year. Is there a web site or do you have any advise. Thanks
From a leaf that is mature (i.e. not recently unfolded and not shortly to start to yellow), cut pieces that have a bit of the rhachis (the "stem" that has leaflets along it) about 1-2 cm thick plus a couple of leaflets (these can be shortened to about half their length to reduce transpiration). Dip bottom end of each cutting in rooting gel (soft and semihardwood type), plant in well drained propagation mix and either place under mist or under clear plastic to maintain humidity and at about 70-80 degrees F. Sooner or later a tuber will start to form at the cut end, and a small leaf will emerge from the base. It takes a few months.