Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

I know this is a banana forum, but I thought I'd see if any of you grew this group of Aroids. I have a number of species I am growing right now. Konjac, which is hardy to about zone 6, bulbifer, aff atroviridis( possibly saururus or an un-named Thai species), ongsakulii, titanum, carneus and several unknown and un-identified species. I also grow Pseudodracontium harmanii 'Hot Legs', which recent molecular evidence has shown that the Genus Pseudodracontium is firmly seated in the middle of Amorphophallus genetically, so they are soon to be lumped into Amorphophallus. They are very easy to grow as potted plants, and have "interesting" flowers. Anyone else grow these so called Voodoo Lilies?



This is a mature A ongsakulii blooming in a 4 inch pot, at Plant Delights.

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Majestic looking plant, even more majestic flower! Yucky-y-y-y fragrance, though. Unusual name is very appropriate for the flower. Kinda like the Butterfly Pea. Scientific names can sometimes go in the blue territory.

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

This one actually has no fragrance. And they don't all smell bad. Some are known to smell of grated carrot, but the vast majority are known to be smelly.

I'm kind of surprised that more people on here don't grow them, Some have fabulously colored foliage, especially in the Thai species allied to atroviridids, which are velvety reddish when the leaves emerge, and have a bronzy green mature leaf, with a pink petiole with scattered lighter flecks.

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

its looking really nice, I like amorphophallus but I really dont have space for them..

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Indeed they are very pretty. But smelly??????? How about a dead rat!? A member of the VFW club my daughter manages, gave her a bouquet of flowers with the Amorphophallus as the centerpiece. It was beautiful. Except after a few hours, people at the bar were kind of looking at each other suspiciously, then started to move away from the bar. When my daughter called me over to ask me what kind of flower it was, I retorted, "Smell it!"

She just pouted, wrinkled and pinched her nose. Eeeeek! Up close it was stronger, I guess.

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

We are growing a couple of varieties...once you have them you always have them. They disappear and then suddenly show up again...

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

how hardy are they do you know? can they over winter outside in 6/7 if they are protected?

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Which one are you Asking about MSKitty? ongsakulii is a Thai species and it probably will not be a hardy one. The tubers on it, the largest ones I have are maybe 1 cm long, and the smaller tubers are about the size of a guater grain of rice.

Dablo- I grow mainly species that can be stored dry when dormant, so they don't take up that much room. In fact, they sure take up less space in winter than my Musa do.

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

I have one that is about 6-7 years old and it comes back every year. I have it planted in a pot, so it doesn't rot during our rainey years. It comes back so late(June) that I'm always amazed when it pokes out! Got it at Going Bananas years ago.

I got a new one last year at EFG Orchids, pretty dark leaves with a pink edge to the leaves.

I also got a plant called "Giraffe Knees". Very similar..will post a pic when I find the camera!

Margie

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

I grow several spevicies of amorphophallus. I enjoy the larger flowering type though. I currently am growing Konjac, Konjac 'Leo song', Hewittii, Decus-silvea, Atroviridis, asterostigmatus, borneensis,bulbifer, dactylifer ,haematospadix, kiusianus, aberrans,lambii ,
paeoniifolius, prainii, titanum, and an unknown species.

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

I have a couple of Konjac that I received from a friend in fall of '06. They went into the ground in spring of '07. They did fairly well last year with no bloom. Stems were awesome looking, BTW, and look forward to seeing if they come back this spring and flower for me or not. They are planted in my back bed as far away from the house as I could plant them...

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Wow. You have more than I have. Where in Texas are you?

Randy- It will be hardy there, but don't expect it up too early. June is about right, or maybe late May. I've seen konjac in the ground in Denver, Colorado which is much colder than you are.

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Zac we get them in the UK sold as food in the aisan/indian grocers. They sell them as Suran. They can vary in size starting like a begonia tuber right upto a coconut size.

The ethnic grocers are a good place to get Gingers,Colocasias,Xanthosomas and curcuma too. You just have to know what your looking for.

Here's a few bits from the grocers with the Suran in the middle

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Mark- thats probably paeonifolius, aka Elephant yam. That is one I do not have yet. I need to check out some ethnic grocers I guess.

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Zac, we grow bulbifer and titanum at the greenhouse. I like bulbifer because of the little bulblet that forms on the leaf. Do any others do that, or is it the only one? Strange how it does that when most don't.

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Many others do this, in many different ways. A beccari,hottae,muellerii and others do this. Tony Avent saw this and thought, hmmm, I wonder how they'd do with leaf cuttings. Most species this works with, except konjac and albus and a few others. the rest form up to golf ball sized tubers from a leaflet cutting.

Amorphophallus symonianus is a really weird one. The bulbil forms inside the petiole, and then burts out. International Aroid Society

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Here's my atroviridis as it emerged last season.











See how pretty it is?!?!?!

Zac

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Bump! Just bringing this up to the top again, checking for interest.

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

Is this thread still going?

Re: Anyone grow Amorphophallus?
 

A new thread had taken its place .

I would link the thread but my linker aint linking.

Keyword "anyone growing amorphophalus"


A few of my plants which had to be relocated last fall.
These hardy bulbs I think are 3-4 years old and are planted in very rich soil.

The foliage makes a bold tropical statement and the deer do not eat them.
Plant is a late to rise robust grower with many offsets during the season.


Konjac by
Hostafarian,
on Flickr