Amorphophallus titanum blooming at CSUF

[larry]

Titan Arum / Corpse Flower / Amorphophallus titanum blooming at Cal State Fullerton Biology Greenhouse.
The first one is done blooming, but there's a second one that should open any day now. If you're local, come see it!

 

[curtisconners]

Please tell me that that can live in a house when it's not in flower.

 

[hcarlton]

Unless you have a house with at least a 12-14 foot ceiling, no. The leaves are just as huge. There are plenty of relative species that can though (I've got a handful of them).

 

[dr_donut]

Oh geez, I can smell it from here!

 

[curtisconners]

Unless you have a house with at least a 12-14 foot ceiling, no. The leaves are just as huge. There are plenty of relative species that can though (I've got a handful of them).

I'll have to do some research on the relative species, thanks.

 

[hcarlton]

Easiest one to find is probably A. konjac; gets to around 6 feet. A. dunnii, symonianus, another giant paeoniifolius are relatively common ones, and then there are the plants from other related genera like Typhonium, Pinellia etc.

 

[curtisconners]

Thanks.

 

[tommyr]

Please tell me that that can live in a house when it's not in flower.

I grow it's cousin "Konjac" and man for 2-3 days it smells REALLY bad! I'm kind of used to it now though.

 

[curtisconners]

My plan was to keep outside during the spring and summer and only have it inside during winter. (when it's presumably not in flower)

 

[Flip_Side_the_Pint]

is a viewing window cut into the side of the right one?!!!

 

[larry]

lol, yeah. Probably, also to make it easier to collect the pollen and to pollinate.

 

[tommyr]

My plan was to keep outside during the spring and summer and only have it inside during winter. (when it's presumably not in flower)

Mine flowered in late winter, too cold for outdoors!

 

[curtisconners]

Ok, perhaps I should wait until I have a greenhouse to keep one of these. Oh well.

 

[hcarlton]

Ok, perhaps I should wait until I have a greenhouse to keep one of these. Oh well.

If you can find one large enough, I've heard you can keep the smell contained with plastic bags......and during winter they're mostly not much to look at anyway unless they flower, since they can be dormant for like 7 months of the year in some cases (like mine currently).

 

[tommyr]

If you can find one large enough, I've heard you can keep the smell contained with plastic bags......and during winter they're mostly not much to look at anyway unless they flower, since they can be dormant for like 7 months of the year in some cases (like mine currently).

Yup. It's kind of a shame they stink because the 'Konjac' flower is gorgeous. Deep,shiny red.

 

[DragonsEye]

My plan was to keep outside during the spring and summer and only have it inside during winter. (when it's presumably not in flower)

Sure you can ... If you enjoy looking at a pot of dirt over the winter. . As was mentioned, they are winter dormant. Works well for me that way as does not take up much room over the winter. I just dig up the corm, let it dry off, brush off all the dirt and remove the shriveled roots, and plop it in an open box that I then leave in a closet/laundry room. Requires zero attention until I pot it up in the spring.

Very easy grower, IME. Won't bloom until corm gets softball sized or bigger which can take years, but I grow it for its foliage. If grown in full sun, get a much shorter (but very sturdy) leaf than what Hawken mentioned. Corms offset easily too. If you get a konjac, don't spend a lot. For that matter, I'll probably have offsets available this fall. Don't know whether I'll use them as trade fodder, or giveaways, or next year's NASC auction.

is a viewing window cut into the side of the right one?!!!

Yes. Allows the activity of the flies (its pollinators) to be viewed and broadcast.