VoDoo lily help

Anyone growing one of these in central Fl. any advice or suggestions would be appreciated as I just bought 1.

Hi Bonnie,

I was given something called a "voodoo lily" that I believe to be a part of the Amorphophallus genus (Amorphophallus bulbifer). It was given to me in a pot and I planted it in the ground. Last spring, it popped up and grew foliage and I got what kind of looked like a small tree out of it. Over winter the "tree" died back and it went dormant. This spring, I have what appears to be the "flower" coming up.

Honestly, I do almost nothing to it and let Mother Nature take care of it. It is in a fairly shady area and gets dappled sun. If we have not gotten sufficient rain within the week, I will put some water on it, but other than that, I leave it alone.

Shauna

Couldn't decide where to plant it so I put it in large tree size pot for now.

It definitely has a blossom on it but not opened up yet. Will have to get you a pic. An old member of Groveland Garden club said he has raised them for years. He had 2 at the sale and I should have bought both.

A friend told me I was morbid for wanting something that stinks like they do. Well I like different and I stuck my nose right down to it and couldn't smell a thing. Maybe that comes when the bloom opens up. I'll keep you posted.

Good luck with getting a bloom on yours. Looks like it's growing toward having one. I'm very excited about mine and hope it makes it to bloom. I read where it only blooms for 2 days but that's like a lot of other plants.

Bonnie,

Although I cannot attest to it, it is said the bloom is what stinks. I have a couple of them here. Too early to show themselves yet at my place. They do have an interesting appearance as the stem/stalk has a mottled coloration to it. Mine have not bloomed. I keep them in filtered sun to shade. I too thought they are different.

Molly

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius flower in the ground in Bradenton, Fl.

Just checked it. Looks like it is beginning to open up. Little white things all on the inside stalk.
I see some little bugs walking around on top. Maybe they are going to be it's lunch. I was told it was a carnivorous plant but don't know for sure. When I get the time I will research it further.
Does the top that looks like a brain open up?

Little white things are maggots on the flower.

It is not carnivorous and that part that looks like a brain open up does not open.
Houseflies come to it thinking something is dead.

Took some pics. Thanks for info.

Is it stinking yet?
;)

No smell and no maggots. Now it is declining but I enjoyed it for a couple days.

Amorphophallus doesn't bloom for very long. The tuber doesn't flower until it packs on enough weight. those white things are the flowering parts. Here's some information:

https://www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/interns-2002/amorphophallus-paeoniifolius.html

The tuber is edible and you have to keep it from freezing in the winter. Oh, and the stink only has a very short duration. If you aren't there when the flower opens, you miss it, just like A. titanum.

I watched it every day and it looks just like above pic. Also have 2 more starting from the bottom of it. Went to garden club meeting and guy that sold it to me says he raises them in the ground so will find a protected place for it in partial shade. If it gets real cold I'll cover it with mulch and a blanket if needed.

Thanks all for all of your info.

Bonnie, mine are in the ground and they come back every year. The ground never freezes so the tuber is fine. I'm sure yours would do well in the ground as well.

I'm happy to say 4 sprouts are coming up right now. How do you handle them when they get bigger. Like, do I break them off the huge tuber and set them out by themselves or what?

voo doo lily is now 4 feet tall and 2 separate plants. Have never seen anything grow so fast. We measured and it grew 4" over night. Got to decide how to separate them and where to put them. They sure must like the manure compost I put in the large pot there in.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Molly if you reading this jump in please. I don't want to hurt their progress and they sure are progressing.

Bonnie, they will do just fine without a lot of fuss. Mine just 2 weeks ago decided to break ground again. They die back in the winter and come back from the roots.

When I put them in the ground, I just gave them ample shade to keep from cooking in this hot sun and sand.

They will do much better down where you are, although, I believe they will go dormant during the winter months.

Molly

Thanks much Molly. I'll take them out of the large pot and put them in the ground right in front of my office window where I can keep an eye on them. Man, have they grown tall. Very interesting plant.

I'm anxiously waiting to see it sprout again. It's still in large pot and I've been assured it will come back. Sure hope so.
Bonnie D.

It's still growing as we have had very warm weather. Got to choose a suitable place to get it into the ground. Now it has 4 shoots coming up around it. I get lots of stares and comments about it. Worth the effort to keep it alive.
Thanks to everyone that helped with advice.
Bonnie Davis