Amorphophallus pendulus question

From: SNALICE at aol.com on 1997.11.25 at 22:28:56(1660) Dear all, I am a VERY pleased keeper of Amophophallus pendulus, and am thoroughly enjoying the pompous beauty of it's now 13cm. petiole and 16cm. leaf (at it's widest point). If I'm not mistaken, Amorphophallus likes to have foot room. I don't see any roots showing from the pot, and can't make a judgment from the bulb site itself, but from the size of the leaf, I have deduced that it needs more room. I recall a statement from the past that Amorhs. grow better bulbs if given plenty of spreading room. Can I safely transplant my pendulus from it's 2" pot into a larger pot, and should I do that now? The bulb first put out a small leaf which is now gone, then put up it's present larger leaf. I don't suppose it will put up another leaf in this stage of growth, but I would like the roots to be able to give it it's best. What would be the best thing to do? Thanks for any help, Sue Zunino +More CA. Zone 9

From: Wilbert Hetterscheid <hetter at vkc.nl> on 1997.11.26 at 16:00:58(1662) Sue, A. pendulus is probably the most bitchy species to grow. After many years of cultivating amorphs, I still am unable to get pendulus to flowering size. What is especially disturbing is that they seem to seriously HATE to be disturbed! In your case I would advise you to take out the entire clump of soil and plant and do not try to shake off the old soil and transplnat the whole thing into a larger post with fresh soil surrounding the old soil. I wish you ALL the luck with this most awful to grow amorph, yet one of the most beautiful ones. If somebody has good results with pendulus, please let him/her come out and share this miracle with us! Cheers, Wilbert

From: Don Burns <burns at mobot.org> on 1997.11.26 at 16:19:38(1663) > A. pendulus is probably the most bitchy species to grow. After many > years of cultivating amorphs, I still am unable to get pendulus to > flowering size. +More ---------------clip---------------- Wilbert, How about some specifics? How many growth cycles could you get them through? How large did they become? Did you treat them the same as your other amorphs when active as well as dormant? Suggestions for new tricks to try based upon what you learned? I have a tiny A. pendulus here (four inches) that has just put up a second leaf. I'd like to break your growing record. Suggestions? Don Don Burns Plantation, FL USA Zone 10b

From: SNALICE at aol.com on 1997.11.27 at 04:53:09(1665) Wilbert, >>>A. pendulus is probably the most bitchy species to grow.<<< How so? >>>After many years of cultivating amorphs, I still am unable to get +More pendulus to flowering size.<<< May I ask what happens to it before it reaches blooming size? >>>What is especially disturbing is that they seem to seriously HATE to be disturbed! In your case I would advise you to take out the entire clump of soil and plant and do not try to shake off the old soil and transplnat the whole thing into a larger post with fresh soil surrounding the old soil.<<< I transplanted it last night and I'm waiting for any signs ........good or bad. The leaf had already shown some slight yellowing at the leaflet's edges even before I transplanted it, but only in their waves along the edges, here and there. What I don't know, is if this is a sign of going dormant, showing some kind of stress, or just natural coloring along the edges. It's not what I call a dying yellow. It's more of a puce green. Maybe it's just coming into it's full color. The plant was several weeks into it's largest (second) leaf, in the 2" pot. I am wondering if pendulus is consistant enough to know when it's expected to go dormant, or will it put out another leaf? If you have any information on this variety, I would appreciate any known facts, especially any related to growing it....likes-dislikes. I wish you ALL the luck with this most awful to grow amorph, yet one of the most beautiful ones. Thank you, and it IS very beautiful! Sue

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