Propagation Amorphophallus titanum

From: "Bjoern Malkmus" bjoern.malkmus at verwaltung.uni-mainz.de> on 2000.07.06 at 23:19:56(4988) Hello all, > BTW, There is another Amorphophallus titanum preparing to flower at Bonn > Botanical Garden. This immense inflorescence may almost reach the > proportions of the record setting flower at New York Botanical Garden in > 1937. NYBG had the largest documented inflorescence in cultivation. Bonn > is predicting their plant will flower around July 10. Check their web > site for daily updates Donna thanks for the info about the event 'just around the corner', I will be there next week-end... > Don't think its a good idea to "divide" the A. titanum tubers although > there are rare times when the tubers may offset in cultivation. The only > way to reliably propagate this plant is via seed. I made some good experiences in forcing tubers of Am. titanum to divide by making an 1cm/0.35" deep cross-cut with a sharp knife through the vegetative point of 10cm/3.7" ? dormant tubers. During the next growing cycle tubers will either develop no leaf, a deformed one or several smaller leaves, more or less deformed. Out of three tubers, two managed to split up into several smaller ones (3 and 5). All orginal tubers (fortunately) survived this method and created a new vegetative point, but apparently did not enlarge in size. Growing cycle of those 'mistreated' plants was significantly longer (9 months instead of usually 7). New tubers (still more or less adventive to the main one) were separated after that and are now grown on as individuals. +More This methtod occurred to me when the vegetative point of an Amorphophalles muelleri had coincidently been destroyed and subsequently this tuber produced not only a new vegetative point but some smaller 'offsets' close to it in the following growing cycle. Cheers, Bj?rn Malkmus

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