I need information on Amorphophallus

From: Ken Mosher <ken at spatulacity.com> on 2008.10.29 at 06:41:53(18685) Ty didn't say where he was, but he said he was expecting his first frost in a week. That's enough info for me - his plants are sitting in the cold and the potting mix is probably wet. For me that has been fatal to almost every species. If they were in dry mix they might be OK, but in my experience being damp and cold is an excellent way to guarantee a dead paeoniifolius. The plant itself may look healthy and the tuber might feel firm, but by springtime it's likely to be shriveled and dead. Just my own experiences... -Ken +More Russell Coker wrote: > Tee, > > I'm no expert, but my paeoniifolius experience has been different from what > Ron and Ken recommend. > > I'll preface this by saying that I'm on the Gulf Coast, zone 8b. You did > not mention where you are. While it may be "best to extend the growing > season as long as you can", you may one day end up with a plant so big that > you don't have a place to put it. > > What attracted me to this species was that it is big and impressive, BUT > also follows the seasons and goes dormant so I figured it would be ground > hardy for me. I bought the first tennis ball sized tuber 4 years ago. I > planted it in a pot and left it alone that first summer. When the weather > was not to its liking, it went dormant just like konjac (and caladiums) - I > don't remember if that had anything to do with frost or not. I repotted it > and its offsets, but left them all sitting on the ground through the winter. > They came up the following spring and did fine through the summer. Last > summer I planted them in the ground, the tallest plant being over three feet > tall by then. Again they went dormant when conditions didn't suit them. > All winter I wondered if they were rotting in the ground, but this past > spring the all came back up eventually standing 4 to over 6 feet tall - > really impressive. My plants have very rough petioles, by the way. > > We've had cool, dry weather now for about a month, but they don't show any > signs of going dormant. Last night we went down to the upper 30's, and > tonight will be a little colder. I'll see a difference this week for sure > as they begin to die down. > > I guess the point of all of this is that there is nothing wrong with > protecting the plant from cold and dormancy for as long as you can. But when > the day comes that your plant is too big to handle there is also nothing > wrong with forcing dormancy by leaving it exposed to cool, dry autumn air, > withholding water and storing a dormant tuber for the winter. > > Russell > Mobile, Alabama > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: > To: > Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2008 4:15 PM > Subject: Re: [Aroid-l] I need information on Amorphophallus > Paeonifolius -any experts out there? > > > >> Ty: >> >> It's best to do what you can to extend the growing season as long as >> you can. I would bring them in. Here in Central Florida they are >> ground and pot hardy but they tend to rot in Atlanta if they aren't >> brought in before it gets cold. >> >> Amorphophallus paeoniifolius is a very variable species. Some stay >> fairly short and some, especially the group called Borneo Giant, can >> reach 8-9 feet tall. The same is true of koratensis. They also very a >> great deal in the number of leaflets and the roughness of the petiole. >> I have a group raised from seed here in Florida that have virtually >> smooth petioles, some from China that are somewhat rougher and a group >> that have extremely rough petioles. The more light you give them, the >> smaller the leaf will be as well. >> >> Those corms that came in from Madagascar were, depending on the >> species, seriously infected with a fungal infection. Many of them >> simply rotted away and there were a couple of postings on aroid- about >> it. The others sprouted and, depending on how quickly or to the extent >> the corm was infected produced leaves from a few inches tall to up to >> about about 4 feet. The species from Kalenbenobo seemed the least >> damaged and many of the larger corms produced leaves a few feet tall. >> To my knowledge, the hildebrantii have all been lost to rot. Those >> from Nosy Faly and Nosy Mitsio vary in between. The Nosy Faly growths >> have all been larger than the other group. So, that having been said, >> I don't think you were had....these are interesting plants that weren't >> available anywhere else, but it will be some time before they are >> strong plants. >> >> Ron McHatton >> Central Florida Zone 9B >> >> >> >> >> >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: Ty York >> To: aroid-l@gizmoworks.com >> Sent: Fri, 24 Oct 2008 8:34 pm >> Subject: [Aroid-l] I need information on Amorphophallus Paeonifolius >> -any experts out there? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> This is my first year of growing them and mine have not shown any signs >> of going dormant and we may get our first frost in a week. I was >> wondering if I should bring them indoors or let the frost get them. >> >> >> >> Second question, I had someone tell me that there is 2 different >> paeonifolius plants. A small variety 3-4 feet and a large variety that >> gets 9 feet tall, does this sound right? I have searched to no end >> and found nothing about 2 different ones. >> >> >> >> Third question: I bought 3 bulbs last year as a new variety of >> amorphophallus stated to be sp. madagascar. No pics of the plant were >> avalible or size etc. just sold as new discovery from madagascar and >> 3 bulbs cost me 100.00. The plants were funny looking very small plants >> even on the largest bulb 14oz only put up a foot tall plant. No blooms. >> Have I been taken? I cannot find the seller again and they would not >> answer emails after I bought them. Bought off ebay :(. >> >> >> >> >> >> Thanks anyone for any help on this. Ty >> _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

From: "Russell Coker" <cokerra at bellsouth.net> on 2008.10.29 at 16:33:24(18687) Ken, actually I agree with you completely (damp + cold = mush). That's why I suggested withholding water and ease the plant into dormancy when the weather begins to cool. I understand that this will be more important later when the plant reaches an unmanageable size. My original tuber went from being a three gallon pot sized plant to something that looks like a green picnic table umbrella in 2 seasons. If my plants were in pots instead of the ground I have no idea where I'd be putting them to extend the growing season since I don't have a greenhouse. They don't exactly fit in the kitchen window. As for Ty's frost, we had our first last night with a low of 34 degrees. That's record breaking for us. My plants in the ground still look like July as they are under a live oak canopy - but who knows for how long. And wouldn't it be nice (and helpful) if people writing this wonderful list would tell where they are and provide their climate zone when they share their experiences and/or ask for advice? Russell Coker +More Mobile, AL zn8b _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

From: bonaventure at optonline.net on 2008.10.29 at 19:17:50(18689) _______________________________________________ Aroid-L mailing list Aroid-L@www.gizmoworks.com +More http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l --==============91779779236964038==--

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