Amorphophallus

Family. Araceae.

Homeland of the plant. Southern China, India, Sri Lanka.

Description.  Amorphophallus is a herbaceous plant up to 2 - 2.5 m high, some species reach 4 m, in appearance it resembles a palm tree with a single soft, green leaf and a thick patterned trunk. It grows only in summer and is stored as a tuber in winter. Blooms before the beginning of the growing season. It got its name because of the unusual shape of the inflorescence. Giant flowers have a pungent smell of rotting meat. This plant has the largest inflorescence in the world. At the top of a peduncle 25 - 35 cm high, a huge bud appears and opens into a flower with amazing speed. The blanket resembles an inverted bell, pale green on the outside but crimson on the inside. 

A brownish-yellow spike appears above the cob. Male and female flowers are located on the lower parts of the cob, where they are protected by a giant cob. After pollination, the female flowers develop into bright red small fruits. Amorphophallus has a huge tuber - up to 90 kg, which serves to store nutrients. Each year after flowering, the leaves die off, but the next season the inflorescence appears again and grows at an amazing speed - up to 10 cm per day. Due to the specific aroma, this perennial received another name - "corpse flower". It is believed that the smell helps to attract beetles or bees; fortunately, this aroma does not last long - 1 - 2 days.

Currently, variegated varieties of plants have been bred, which are distinguished not only by attractive flowering, but also by very beautiful variegated leaves with silvery or white spots.

Height. Up to 5 meters, grows quickly.

Amorphophallus - home care

Temperature conditions, wintering

The potted amorphophallus plant prefers moderately warm conditions, 20 - 24 °C. During the winter dormancy period, the pot is stored in a cool and dark place at a temperature of 10 - 13 degrees.

Lighting

Indoor amorphophallus prefers bright sun, but without direct sunlight. 

Care

An unpretentious plant to care for. In September - October the above-ground part dies off. In March, amorphophallus germinates. They expose it to the light and begin to water it. It blooms if the tuber reaches 6 - 8 cm in diameter. The tuber will increase significantly in diameter if the plant is transplanted into a large container and regularly fed with organic fertilizers. Sometimes, to avoid the appearance of an unpleasant odor during flowering, the bud is removed from the plant.

Soil

Well-drained soils consisting of humus, sand and peat. The soil should have a slightly acidic or neutral pH.

Feeding

They begin to feed in the spring after the first growth appears every 2 weeks; amorphophallus will appreciate fertilizers with a high content of nitrogen and phosphorus. The plant also responds positively to organic fertilizers.

Purpose

Amorphophallus in the house is a chic ornamental flowering plant - a real curiosity in the home collection.

Flowering

The flowering period lasts 1-2 months in the summer, approximately once every 3 years, the Amorphophallus flower remains open for about a week. Young plants bloom for the first time at the age of 5 years. Budding takes a lot of energy from the plant, and after it, the underground tubers may even decrease in size.

Air humidity

Loves high humidity and frequent spraying.

How to water

Watering is moderate, it is increased before flowering, since the peduncle increases in size very quickly. During the winter dormant period, keep the bulbs dry; begin to water the plant only with the appearance of the first sprout. When drought occurs, the plant simply goes into hibernation.

How to replant

As the bulbs grow and increase in diameter, in the spring they are placed in larger pots. Replanting large plants can cause difficulties - for such specimens the top layer of soil is simply replaced with fresh one every year. A pot for growing amorphophallus at home must have large drainage holes. 

Reproduction

How does amorphophallus reproduce? It reproduces by children, which form the tuber of the plant. The babies are separated in the fall and stored cool until spring. Seeds are practically not formed at home. Even under optimal conditions, seed propagation takes about six years before the first flowering.

Pests and diseases

The amorphophallus tuber is susceptible to rotting if there is excess water. Damaged areas are cut with a sharp knife, the cut area is dried and sprinkled with crushed charcoal.

Among the harmful insects, aphids and spider mites are sometimes found.

Note

Flowers with a very strong unpleasant odor that not all people can tolerate. If droplets of moisture appear on the tips of the leaves of the amorphophallus, it means it will soon rain outside. In some countries, the tubers of the plant are eaten.