Dead Horse Arum

From: "Alan Galloway" alan_galloway at bellsouth.net> on 2001.04.26 at 15:19:54(6277) A few years back, a fellow Aroid-l-er shared some tubers of Helicodiceros muscivorus with the list. The tubers that I received were planted in the garden here in Raleigh, NC, USA (USDA Zone 7) and the plants have gotten larger and larger each year. A few days ago one plant reached its maturity by producing an inflorescence. I've posted a few pictures of this awesome flower on my web site at: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~alan/plants/aroids/helicodiceros/ The flower is much larger than I expected and the odor so much worse than I had anticipated. Of all the aroids that have bloomed for me, this is the worst! It even outranks Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, which almost makes me hurl breakfast. If you notice the latter pictures, where the spathe has been cut open, the cream-colored substance is the eggs of flies. Of all the aroid flowers that I have photographed, many have had flies and other insects crawling all over the 'naughty bits', but this is the first where the flies have actually laid their eggs. Now, if I can tolerate the odor long enough to collect some pollen. Alan +More ------------------------------------ Alan Galloway Raleigh, North Carolina ------------------------------------

From: "Jay Vannini" interbnk at terra.com.gt> on 2001.04.27 at 04:52:08(6278) Dear Alan: A truly absolutely awesome pet!! Bravissimo!! This wonderful plant, probably due to its "in-your-face" antisocial behavior, has to be this tropical aroid guy's favorite temperate zone arum. Put me on your list for seed if you ever get any. Barf bags, ahoy!! +More JPV -----Original Message----- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Date: Jueves, 26 de Abril de 2001 09:20 a.m. Subject: Dead Horse Arum >A few years back, a fellow Aroid-l-er shared some tubers of Helicodiceros >muscivorus >with the list. The tubers that I received were planted in the garden here >in Raleigh, NC, >USA (USDA Zone 7) and the plants have gotten larger and larger each year. A >few >days ago one plant reached its maturity by producing an inflorescence. I've >posted a >few pictures of this awesome flower on my web site at: > > http://www4.ncsu.edu/~alan/plants/aroids/helicodiceros/ > >The flower is much larger than I expected and the odor so much worse than I >had >anticipated. Of all the aroids that have bloomed for me, this is the worst! >It even >outranks Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, which almost makes me hurl breakfast. > >If you notice the latter pictures, where the spathe has been cut open, the >cream-colored >substance is the eggs of flies. Of all the aroid flowers that I have >photographed, many >have had flies and other insects crawling all over the 'naughty bits', but >this is the first where >the flies have actually laid their eggs. > >Now, if I can tolerate the odor long enough to collect some pollen. > >Alan >------------------------------------ >Alan Galloway >Raleigh, North Carolina >------------------------------------ > >

From: "Wilbert Hetterscheid" hetter at worldonline.nl> on 2001.04.27 at 04:53:47(6279) Peoples, Pay attention to the way Alan photographed and skilfully operated on his Helicodiceros, THAT is the proper way to do it if you want an aroid identified. Well done, Alan, and congrats on the flowering of what I consider the most spectacular of all aroids.........and it isn't even an Amorphophallus............ Wilbert +More ----- Original Message ----- To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Sent: donderdag 26 april 2001 17:19 Subject: Dead Horse Arum > A few years back, a fellow Aroid-l-er shared some tubers of Helicodiceros > muscivorus > with the list. The tubers that I received were planted in the garden here > in Raleigh, NC, > USA (USDA Zone 7) and the plants have gotten larger and larger each year. A > few > days ago one plant reached its maturity by producing an inflorescence. I've > posted a > few pictures of this awesome flower on my web site at: > > http://www4.ncsu.edu/~alan/plants/aroids/helicodiceros/ > > The flower is much larger than I expected and the odor so much worse than I > had > anticipated. Of all the aroids that have bloomed for me, this is the worst! > It even > outranks Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, which almost makes me hurl breakfast. > > If you notice the latter pictures, where the spathe has been cut open, the > cream-colored > substance is the eggs of flies. Of all the aroid flowers that I have > photographed, many > have had flies and other insects crawling all over the 'naughty bits', but > this is the first where > the flies have actually laid their eggs. > > Now, if I can tolerate the odor long enough to collect some pollen. > > Alan > ------------------------------------ > Alan Galloway > Raleigh, North Carolina > ------------------------------------ > > >

From: Paul Tyerman tyerman at dynamite.com.au> on 2001.04.27 at 14:57:21(6282) Alan, I had Helicodicerus flower for me last year. Absolutely stunning. It is interesting though that mine barely smelt at all. I was nicely surprised given what we have to put up with from my various clumps of Dracunculus vulgaris each year. It is interesting that you rate it as worst smell, and yet we struggled to find a smell at all (could JUSt detect it when sticking nose virtually into the flower. Why would mine have not ponged at all? Cheers. Paul Tyerman +More Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8 mailto:tyerman@dynamite.com.au Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Lilium, Aroids, plus just about anything else that doesn't move!!!!!

From: Cgdz33a at aol.com on 2001.04.27 at 17:00:09(6284) I have about 15 Dracunculus vulgaris which recently bloomed and wuickly died back within 6 weeks (to my suprise). Does anyone have any cultural info about how to treat the bulbs during dormancy. Should I keep in pots? Dry or wet? I have over 75 aroids and im embarrased to say i have absolutely no luck with this supposed "easy" on. Eric C. Morgan +More Clark Botanic Garden Albertson NY

From: "Deni Bown" deni at yaxhampark.co.uk> on 2001.04.27 at 17:01:39(6285) Alan, Congratulations on your event and pictures, and many thanks for sharing them. Helicodiceros has been high on my list of favourites for many years, and I'll never forget the first time I came across it in flower. It was in Oxford Botanic Gardens, in the Alpine House of all places, with its pot buried in the display area, looking for all the world as if something from a horror movie had joined the primulas and dionysias. I didn't know much about aroids then, and had never heard of this one, so you can imagine my surprise. While I stood there aghast and unbelieving, several other people filed past to see the wonderful show of jewel-like alpines, neatly set in the gravel, and they too were visibly shocked by it. Guess someone in the Alpine Dept. had a warped sense of humour! Seeing the dead horse arum was one of the 'road to Damascus' events that changed me into an aroid fanatic. It became one of my 'holy grail' plants and at last I got one of my own, flowered it several times, and photographed it (the photos in Aroids - Plants of the Arum Family are of my plant), so I know just what you went through! Then one winter I lost it. It was growing in a pot as I had no suitable garden at the time, and I think it succumbed from damp while dormant. Tragedy! But now I have three minute tubers, thanks to Wilbert, so am hopeful the dead horse arum will ride again. Deni Bown +More -----Original Message----- Galloway Sent: 26 April 2001 16:20 To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Subject: Dead Horse Arum A few years back, a fellow Aroid-l-er shared some tubers of Helicodiceros muscivorus with the list. The tubers that I received were planted in the garden here in Raleigh, NC, USA (USDA Zone 7) and the plants have gotten larger and larger each year. A few days ago one plant reached its maturity by producing an inflorescence. I've posted a few pictures of this awesome flower on my web site at: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~alan/plants/aroids/helicodiceros/ The flower is much larger than I expected and the odor so much worse than I had anticipated. Of all the aroids that have bloomed for me, this is the worst! It even outranks Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, which almost makes me hurl breakfast. If you notice the latter pictures, where the spathe has been cut open, the cream-colored substance is the eggs of flies. Of all the aroid flowers that I have photographed, many have had flies and other insects crawling all over the 'naughty bits', but this is the first where the flies have actually laid their eggs. Now, if I can tolerate the odor long enough to collect some pollen. Alan ------------------------------------ Alan Galloway Raleigh, North Carolina ------------------------------------

From: "Alan Galloway" alan_galloway at bellsouth.net> on 2001.04.28 at 03:35:13(6286) > > Why would mine have not ponged at all? > It was early morning and quite humid when I noticed mine. It's almost as if the +More humidity held the stench. Other than that I don't know why mine was so strong. Alan

From: Piabinha at aol.com on 2001.04.28 at 03:37:26(6287) as with some stapeliads, the putative offensive smell is only discernible if you really stick your nose ot the flower. last year my Edithcolea grandis bloomed but unless your nose was inside the flower, you couldn't really smell that wonderful rotting meat fragrance. In a message dated Fri, 27 Apr 2001 10:57:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Paul Tyerman writes: +More << I had Helicodicerus flower for me last year. Absolutely stunning. It is interesting though that mine barely smelt at all. I was nicely surprised given what we have to put up with from my various clumps of Dracunculus vulgaris each year. It is interesting that you rate it as worst smell, and yet we struggled to find a smell at all (could JUSt detect it when sticking nose virtually into the flower. Why would mine have not ponged at all? >>

From: Paul Tyerman tyerman at dynamite.com.au> on 2001.04.28 at 03:43:52(6293) Deni, I have a number of small offsets (may fit into the minute category as well, but they'll grow) if you're interested in getting more of them. I'm in Australia but postage to the US (I'm assuming US?) shouldn't be a problem. They're currently pretty much dormant, although I find that they tend to produce roots during winter, well before shooting. Mine are the same as the photograph on the site that started this thread of coversation. Absolutely stunned me last year when it flowered for the first time. But my dead horse don't stink!! Cheers. Paul Tyerman +More Canberra, Australia. USDA equivalent - Zone 8 mailto:tyerman@dynamite.com.au Growing.... Galanthus, Erythroniums, Fritillarias, Lilium, Aroids, plus just about anything else that doesn't move!!!!!

From: Peter McKiernan pmk at iinet.net.au> on 2001.04.28 at 05:45:22(6294) Hello I can't comment on dead horse arum (because i dont have one) but its interesting that when my Edithcolea grandis flowered about a month ago, depending upon the time of day I could smell it from a meter away . Around midday and early afternoon the smell was very strong but by later in the afternoon it was hardly perceptible. Im told that with stapeliads the warmer the growing conditions the higher leval of smell, could it be the same with this plant? Peter McKiernan +More Perth Western Australia. At 10:38 PM 4/27/01 -0500, you wrote: >as with some stapeliads, the putative offensive smell is only discernible if you really stick your nose ot the flower. last year my Edithcolea grandis bloomed but unless your nose was inside the flower, you couldn't really smell that wonderful rotting meat fragrance. > >In a message dated Fri, 27 Apr 2001 10:57:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Paul Tyerman writes: > ><< I had Helicodicerus flower for me last year. Absolutely stunning. It is >interesting though that mine barely smelt at all. I was nicely surprised >given what we have to put up with from my various clumps of Dracunculus >vulgaris each year. > >It is interesting that you rate it as worst smell, and yet we struggled to >find a smell at all (could JUSt detect it when sticking nose virtually into >the flower. > >Why would mine have not ponged at all? >> > > > >

From: "Masterson's" masterson4 at cox.net> on 2003.04.29 at 12:09:59(10136) Hello to all! Would anyone know where a plant addict in Southern California can get a Helicodiceros muscivorus? I would love to have one smelling up my garden. Thanks! Mike Masterson

From: "C. J. Addington" cjaddington at earthlink.net> on 2003.05.01 at 03:45:20(10152) on 4/29/03 05:09, Masterson's at masterson4@cox.net wrote: > Hello to all! Would anyone know where a plant addict in Southern California > can get a Helicodiceros muscivorus? I would love to have one smelling up my > garden. Thanks! > > Mike Masterson +More Hi Mike! I am in the Central Valley of California, just outside of Sacramento, and I have a nice clump of Helicodiceros going in my back yard. It's still in lush growth thanks to the late rains, but once it goes dormant I will be digging it all up to clean and sort the corms. I would be happy to send you some offsets at that time. It seems to be a fairly hardy plant in our Mediterranean climate. I have not gotten a bloom yet, but some of my plants appear to me to be close to adult size. I expect a stinky flower or two this next spring. If you send me a mailing address, I can put you on my offset list. I will have plenty of other things available at that time as well if you are interested - many Arum species, Dracunculus, Pinellia, etc. Have a great Mayday! Cheers, CJ Addingon cjaddington@earthlink.net

From: "Alan Galloway" <alan_galloway at ncsu.edu> on 2004.04.28 at 17:41:41(11448) Folks, Helicodiceros muscivorus, the Dead Horse arum, has been flowering for me for the last few +More weeks. I've put some photos online that are better quality than what I had from a few years back. To view the pics, see: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~alan/plants/aroids/helicodiceros/ enjoy, Alan

From: "danny wilson" <mudwasp_ at hotmail.com> on 2004.04.29 at 05:09:20(11452) good lord those are beautiful!! thanks for the update alan! >From: "Alan Galloway" >Reply-To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu +More >To: "aroid-l" >Subject: [aroid-l] Dead Horse Arum >Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 13:41:41 -0400 > >Folks, > >Helicodiceros muscivorus, the Dead Horse arum, has been flowering for me for >the last few >weeks. I've put some photos online that are better quality than what I had >from a few >years back. To view the pics, see: >http://www4.ncsu.edu/~alan/plants/aroids/helicodiceros/ > >enjoy, >Alan > FREE pop-up blocking with the new MSN Toolbar ? get it now!

From: piaba <piabinha at yahoo.com> on 2004.04.29 at 16:43:28(11454) i assume the top section of the spadix contain the male flowers? in which case, what's happened to it in pic 14? also, what are those tentacles in between the top and bottom sections? tsuh yang +More __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Win a $20,000 Career Makeover at Yahoo! HotJobs http://hotjobs.sweepstakes.yahoo.com/careermakeover

From: "Alan Galloway" <alan_galloway at ncsu.edu> on 2004.04.29 at 19:48:06(11456) Tsuh Yang, I guess I could say that I cleaned the flower before taking pic #14, but that wouldn't be truthful. Pic #13 and Pic#14 are pictures of 2 different flowers.....with pic #13 taken after pollen had dropped and with pic #14 being taken before pollen had dropped. As for those tentacles, I would think it keeps insects from escaping, but I'll leave the correct and botanical explanation to those that know it. Alan +More > i assume the top section of the spadix contain the > male flowers? in which case, what's happened to it in > pic 14? also, what are those tentacles in between the > top and bottom sections? > > tsuh yang

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