Mark's A. titanum

From: Don Burns <burns at mobot.org> on 1997.09.07 at 02:24:06(1170) Yikes! Mark, you have one high class problem! Now this is the kind of problem _I_ would like to have! Does your greenhouse have a dirt floor? The sole solution I can conjure up is to "lower" the container the plant is in. Dig a hole to accomodate the extra growth on top. Two questions for you: 1 - Will you please photograph this beast when it is up and send a copy to one of us with a scanner so we can put it on the web site? 2 - For the benefit of those of us who have A. titanum, please provide us with your horticultural secrets. How large is the tuber and how old is it? Having spent lots of time in Phoenix, I have often wondered how I would grow tropical aroids if I lived there. Are you using swamp collers to cool and humidify? Don +More Don Burns Plantation, FL USA Zone 10b

From: markdim at azstarnet.com (Mark A. Dimmitt) on 1997.09.07 at 15:22:58(1173) Don Burns asked me to send a photo to someone with a scanner when my next titanum leaf is unfurled. I'd be happy to. Any volunteers? A print, right? He also asked for horticultural "secrets". There aren't any. My passion is mainly for succulents and xerophytic epiphytes. I also have an incidental interest in other weird plants such as the flashier aroids, about which I know very little. The titanum seeds were from Palmengarten's index seminum in June 1993. The three seeds began to germinate almost immediately, but it took 18 months for the first leaf to unfurl completely. Since then they have been growing exponentially, which is kind of scary, considering photos I've seen of mature plants on the website (looks like about 15 feet?). I have very little time to find space for the next explosion which began this week. My greenhouse runs about 90 degrees F during the day (cooled by evaporation), and 55 to 75 at night, winter and summer respectively. The two remaining corms are in 24- and 36-inch pots in humus-rich potting mix. (I gave the third to a friend in Calif., and it died outdoors in winter.) They are fertilized with every watering at 200 ppm nitrogen. For the first two growth cycles they made several leaves and split into two or three corms. I gave two to the Biosphere; at least those should have enough room to mature. Now they make a single leaf per growth cycle. I didn't dig 'em up the last time they went dormant, so I don't know how large they are; the pots aren't bulging yet. +More The only advice I've received is to dig a hole in the floor of the greenhouse. Well, my floor is typical Arizona caliche, a natural concrete. Oh, well. I'd seriously consider donating at least one of them to an institution with sufficient space the next time they go down. Sure would like to flower one, though. Mark Dimmitt, Horticulturist, Drylands Institute *************************************************************** Mark Dimmitt Tucson, Arizona USA ***************************************************************

From: Don Burns <burns at mobot.org> on 1997.09.07 at 15:46:29(1178) Mark, I'll be pleased to scan the photo for you. Sounds like yoy had better get busy with your pick-axe. Either that, or move the plant soon in an airconditioned trailer. Julius, Mark could dig a far deeper hole than he would require and never hit water. Arizona, unlike south Florida, is not known for its shallow wells. +More Don Burns Plantation, FL USA Zone 10b

From: MJ Hatfield <oneota at ames.net> on 1997.09.07 at 22:54:36(1180) Mark said "For the first two growth cycles they made several leaves and split into two or three corms." +More Now I am confused! I thought that Wilbert stated in Aroideana #19 concerning A. titanum..."no offset development.Leaf solitary." MJ Hatfield

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at classic.msn.com> on 1997.09.08 at 00:57:36(1181) ---------- Sent: Sunday, September 07, 1997 11:46 AM To: ju-bo@msn.com +More Subject: Re: Mark's A. titanum >>Mark, I'll be pleased to scan the photo for you. Sounds like yoy had better get busy with your pick-axe. Either that, or move the plant soon in an airconditioned trailer. Julius, Mark could dig a far deeper hole than he would require and never hit water. Arizona, unlike south Florida, is not known for its shallow wells. Don Burns Plantation, FL USA Zone 10b<< Dear Don, Yes, I agree that there isn`t much rain or a high water table in Arizona, but unless Mark has suceeded in crossing the Amorphophallus with a species of Cactus which may reduce it`s water requirements, it will require watering, and presumably this will remain in the hole, hence the sump pump! How are you doing? Have a Lasiomorpha prepared when you are ready. Julius

From: markdim at azstarnet.com (Mark A. Dimmitt) on 1997.09.08 at 13:18:13(1183) >Mark said "For the first two >growth cycles they made several leaves and split into two or three >corms." >Now I am confused! I thought that Wilbert stated in Aroideana #19 >concerning A. titanum..."no offset development.Leaf solitary." > >MJ Hatfield > > I received the same response the first time I posted this info. I've checked my plants' leaf characters with the literature, and I'm fairly confident that they are titanum. I fertilize very heavily; this may have stimulated abnormal proliferation when young. I have observed this phenomenon in the genus Agave and others - in generous cultivated conditions some "nonsuckering" agaves will occasionally produce offsets. You can check my plants' ID when my photos get posted to the aroid website in a month or so. Mark +More *************************************************************** Mark Dimmitt Tucson, Arizona USA ***************************************************************

From: Wilbert Hetterscheid <hetter at vkc.nl> on 1997.09.08 at 13:47:08(1185) Dear Mary Jane, Splitting of a tuber isn't the same thing as producing offsets. Offsets are subsidiary to the main tuber, whereas splitting dissolves the main tuber! +More Cheers, Wilbert > ---------- > From: MJ Hatfield[SMTP:oneota@ames.net] > Reply To: aroid-l@mobot.org > Sent: maandag 8 september 1997 0:53 > To: hetter@VKC.NL > Subject: Re: Mark's A. titanum > > Mark said "For the first two > growth cycles they made several leaves and split into two or three > corms." > Now I am confused! I thought that Wilbert stated in Aroideana #19 > concerning A. titanum..."no offset development.Leaf solitary." > > MJ Hatfield >

From: Dana Scholle <dana at homecom.com> on 1997.09.08 at 13:51:47(1186) I have a scanner, I'd be happy to help. At 10:22 AM 9/7/97 -0500, you wrote: >Don Burns asked me to send a photo to someone with a scanner when my next >titanum leaf is unfurled. I'd be happy to. Any volunteers? A print, right? > >He also asked for horticultural "secrets". There aren't any. My passion is >mainly for succulents and xerophytic epiphytes. I also have an incidental >interest in other weird plants such as the flashier aroids, about which I >know very little. The titanum seeds were from Palmengarten's index seminum >in June 1993. The three seeds began to germinate almost immediately, but it >took 18 months for the first leaf to unfurl completely. Since then they have >been growing exponentially, which is kind of scary, considering photos I've >seen of mature plants on the website (looks like about 15 feet?). I have >very little time to find space for the next explosion which began this week. > >My greenhouse runs about 90 degrees F during the day (cooled by >evaporation), and 55 to 75 at night, winter and summer respectively. The two >remaining corms are in 24- and 36-inch pots in humus-rich potting mix. (I >gave the third to a friend in Calif., and it died outdoors in winter.) They >are fertilized with every watering at 200 ppm nitrogen. For the first two >growth cycles they made several leaves and split into two or three corms. I >gave two to the Biosphere; at least those should have enough room to mature. >Now they make a single leaf per growth cycle. I didn't dig 'em up the last >time they went dormant, so I don't know how large they are; the pots aren't >bulging yet. +More > >The only advice I've received is to dig a hole in the floor of the >greenhouse. Well, my floor is typical Arizona caliche, a natural concrete. >Oh, well. I'd seriously consider donating at least one of them to an >institution with sufficient space the next time they go down. Sure would >like to flower one, though. > >Mark Dimmitt, Horticulturist, Drylands Institute >*************************************************************** >Mark Dimmitt Tucson, Arizona USA > >*************************************************************** > > > >

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