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larry_b_gw

Please help me identify this plant

larry_b
12 years ago

Hi all,

I have a plant that was given to me a few years ago. The person who gave it to me called it a Voodoo plant. I have looked on the web for Voodoo plant and there seems to be several species by that name. I was wondering if anyone knew the Latin name for my plant. Here are some photos:

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Comments (6)

  • emerald1951
    12 years ago

    Hi...
    sorry I can't Id this plant for you but it is a very nice looking plant....I will keep watching for the Id...
    thanks for posting.......linda

  • meyermike_1micha
    12 years ago

    Hey Larry

    To me it looks exactly like a voodoo lily plant! It is beautiful!

    They remind me of the corpse flower plant , better known as the 'Titan arum or Amorphophallus titanum'. It is absolutely beautiful!

    Where did you get it? If it is one in which I am pretty sure, they are much easier to grow since a corpse plant requires temps above 70 24 hours a day to thrive. I would love to get one of those just for the foliage and striking stem and not so much the flower.

    Voodoo Lilies are pollinated by flies and wasps which are attracted to the pungent smell that is released for a few hours after the bloom opens. Small bulbs grow from the Voodoo Lily which are easy to plant and grow.

    Enjoy it, but watch the smell of the flowers heard not to be attractive to most humans.

    Mike

  • larry_b
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thank you, Linda!

    Hi Mike,

    After more research I have decided that my plant is related to the plant you mentioned. I'm pretty sure that it is Amorphophallus konjac.

    Actually the plant has bloomed for me. It usually blooms around Christmas during it's period of dormancy. It smells like a slaughter house. It's actually so bad that I cut the bloom off just after it emerges. Even though it is in the basement in the laundry room, I can smell it upstairs in the living room.

    Larry

  • larry_b
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi Mike,

    I reread your thread and haven't answered you questions. My Dad gave me one several years ago. That one got to be about 4 feet tall with a bulb bigger than my fist. I gave it away because it was too big for the space we had it but saved one of its pups. Next time I am not going to be so eager to get rid of it as I have a better place for it now.

    I have it outside in the summer in Colorado summer weather. Daytime temps can be anywhere from 75 - 100 degrees and night time temps of around 60. Seems to do just fine. When the night air gets cooler it starts to go dormant. It's not unusual for it to remain viable until first frost. I bring it in either at dormancy or first frost. If it has not gone dormant I stop watering it and force it into it.

    If it is mature enough it will bloom around Christmas time. What a lovely smell, I'll tell you.

    Larry

  • birdsnblooms
    12 years ago

    Hi Linda. Your plant is definately an Amorphophallus.

    In the early 90's, I purchased a Voodoo Lily bulb 'don't know the species,' from a non-plant company. The instructions said place on a windowsill, and by 'spring,' a flower will emerge, followed by leaves. Do not place in soil.

    I placed on the sill but nothing happened. After a couple years of sill life, lol, I decided to repot despite their lousy instructions.

    In early spring, it produces leaves, but never once bloomed. I even considered planting in the garden once frost passed.

    Although it has nice foliage, I bought it for the flower..lol..It's never been fertilized, but according to the directions, no fertilizer was needed.

    It's been in the same pot for years. You Voodoo Bulb has one nice, colorful trunk, whereas, my bulbous plant grows several little trunks..But we do have the same plant.

    Larry, was your VL in soil? Did you fertilize? So your flower should have been made into perfume? lolol..Sounds awful..still, I'd like for mine to flower, just once..It's outside, so even if it has an awful odor, hopefully, wouldn't smell up the house. lol.

    Hey Mike. Hope you're feeling better. Toni

  • larry_b
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Hi Toni,

    Yes I have it in soil. I bring it inside at first frost and stop watering. The leaves die back so that only a pot of soil and the bulb are left. Around Christmas the bulb sends up its bloom stalk. It's usually about 18" to 24" tall. That's when the good smell starts. lol

    Larry