Aroids in the garden

From: "E. George Oeser" <george at oeser.net> on 1998.06.23 at 03:54:19(2352) I ordered several plants today for a new area of my garden. Many of the plants will be aroids including Amorphophallus konjac, several Arisaemas, Pinellias, and a Alocasia macrorhizos. The area is fairly shady, tends to stay pretty moist, and is between to buildings. I live in zone 6b, but with the microclimate created by the 2 houses, and the fact that we are on a paeninsula in the middle of a fairly large lake I doubt that these plants will see temps near the -5 degrees Farenhite listed as the minimum for this area. My main concern is the fact that I will be putting these plants in the ground so late in the year, I am not too worried about the Amorphophallus, Arisaemas, or Pinellias, but I do worry a bit about the Alocasia. Should I keep it potted and winter it over inside before planting or would I have better luck putting it into the groud? The plant is supposed to be a good size already, and I think I could have it pretty well established before the first frost, but I am really stretching the limits of the hardiness of this plant as it is, what does everyone else think I should do? E. George Oeser +More ____________________________________________________________________________ _______ Visit my online photo gallery! http://www.oeser.net/george.htm The Oeser Family Network http://www.oeser.net

From: Krzysztof Kozminski <kk at netgate.net> on 1998.06.23 at 12:55:27(2353) E. George Oeser wrote: > I ordered several plants today for a new area of my garden. Many of the > plants will be aroids including Amorphophallus konjac, several Arisaemas, > Pinellias, and a Alocasia macrorhizos. The area is fairly shady, tends to > stay pretty moist, and is between to buildings. I live in zone 6b, but with > the microclimate created by the 2 houses, and the fact that we are on a > paeninsula in the middle of a fairly large lake I doubt that these plants > will see temps near the -5 degrees Farenhite listed as the minimum for this > area. +More > My main concern is the fact that I will be putting these plants in the > ground so late in the year, I am not too worried about the Amorphophallus, > Arisaemas, or Pinellias, but I do worry a bit about the Alocasia. Should I > keep it potted and winter it over inside before planting or would I have > better luck putting it into the groud? The plant is supposed to be a good > size already, and I think I could have it pretty well established before > the first frost, but I am really stretching the limits of the hardiness of > this plant as it is, what does everyone else think I should do? I'overwinter it indoors, definitely. By next spring it should be 3-4 ft tall, and then if you get enough humidity outdoors, you can expect it getting to maybe 8 ft tall, with 4-5ft leaves. Check out http://u1.netgate.net/~kk/Araceae/Alocasia/JPEG/macrorrhizos.2.JPEG or for a possible outcome - I think well worth an inconvenience of having it indoors. In zone 6, it is not likely that you'll get enough growing season to get it to the full size without a big head start indoors... ====================================== Krzysztof Kozminski http://u1.netgate.net/~kk/ kk@netgate.net "Applying computer technology is simply finding the right wrench to pound in the correct screw."

From: plantnut at shadow.net (Dewey Fisk) on 1998.06.23 at 13:02:52(2354) Geore, If you want the Alocasia to survive and do well... Keep the temperature around it above 40F. Remember, you are dealing with a tropical species and the reason that it is not native to your area is that it is too cold for it to grow... There is no place that is listed as tropical that gets -05F. Dewey +More Dewey E. Fisk, Plant Nut THE PHILODENDRON PHREAQUE Your Source for Tropical Araceae

From: "Julius Boos" <ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 1998.06.23 at 13:07:15(2355) >>I ordered several plants today for a new area of my garden. Many of the plants will be aroids including Amorphophallus konjac, several Arisaemas, Pinellias, and a Alocasia macrorhizos. The area is fairly shady, tends to stay pretty moist, and is between to buildings. I live in zone 6b, but with the microclimate created by the 2 houses, and the fact that we are on a paeninsula in the middle of a fairly large lake I doubt that these plants will see temps near the -5 degrees Farenhite listed as the minimum for this area. +More My main concern is the fact that I will be putting these plants in the ground so late in the year, I am not too worried about the Amorphophallus, Arisaemas, or Pinellias, but I do worry a bit about the Alocasia. Should I keep it potted and winter it over inside before planting or would I have better luck putting it into the groud? The plant is supposed to be a good size already, and I think I could have it pretty well established before the first frost, but I am really stretching the limits of the hardiness of this plant as it is, what does everyone else think I should do? E. George Oeser<< Dear George, What about keeping it in the pot, and "planting" the pot in the ground, so that when it gets cold you can bring the plant, pot and all, inside? Cheers, Julius ju-bo@msn.com ____________________________________________________________________________ _______ Visit my online photo gallery! http://www.oeser.net/george.htm The Oeser Family Network http://www.oeser.net

From: Bob Riffle <71270.3070 at compuserve.com> on 1998.06.23 at 14:17:48(2356) Alocasia macrorrhiza will not survive your winter temps. It's iffy in zone 9, as far as coming back from a freeze, and is really a zone 10-11 subject, although I've seen some recover from the low 20s; but that was in a climate that has very few freezes compared to zone 6. You could try cutting off the leaves after the first light frost and then mulch the root/trunk very heavily with leaves and a covering of some sort (canvas/tarp), but I've got a feeling it will die if kept in that condition for consecutive months. Let us know if you try it as a permanent outdoor subject.

From: "James W. Waddick" <jim-jim at swbell.net> on 1998.06.23 at 14:57:55(2357) >I ordered several plants today for a new area of my garden. Many of the >plants will be aroids including Amorphophallus konjac, several Arisaemas, >Pinellias, and a Alocasia macrorhizos. >E. George Oeser +More Dear George; If carefully planted in your Zone 6 garden thes Pinellia and Arisaema should settle in fine. Probably go dormant quickly now. The A konjac needs a good siting for survival and a winter mulch would help too. It will probably NOT go dormant now, but it depends on its state of growth, rot distrurbance etc. However the Alocasia is iffy and beyond no matter when you plant that. Maybe in a really protected spot and maybe well mulched and a few incantations to insure survival, but I'd be very relutant unless you simply want ot 'see what happens'. Personally, I'd keep it indoors until you have enough to sacrifice a piece to the "Gods of Hardiness". Good luck jim W. James W. Waddick Voice: 816 746 1949 8871 NW Brostrom Rd E-MAIL: jim-jim@swbell.net Kansas City MO 64152 Fax: 816 746 1939 Zone 5/6 - Winter low -10 degrees F Summer high +100 degrees F

From: Al Wootten <awootten at NRAO.EDU> on 1998.06.23 at 15:23:20(2358) Krzysztof Kozminski writes: > I am not too worried about the Amorphophallus, > > Arisaemas, or Pinellias, but I do worry a bit about the Alocasia. Should I > > keep it potted and winter it over inside before planting or would I have > > better luck putting it into the groud? The plant is supposed to be a good > > size already, and I think I could have it pretty well established before > > the first frost, but I am really stretching the limits of the hardiness of > > this plant as it is, what does everyone else think I should do? > > I'overwinter it indoors, definitely. By next spring it should be 3-4 ft tall, > and then if you get enough humidity outdoors, you can expect it getting to > maybe 8 ft tall, with 4-5ft leaves. > > Check out http://u1.netgate.net/~kk/Araceae/Alocasia/JPEG/macrorrhizos.2.JPEG > or for a possible outcome - I think well worth an inconvenience of having it > indoors. In zone 6, it is not likely that you'll get enough growing season to > get it to the full size without a big head start indoors... My experience with Colocasia in zone 7b has been that the plant dies back and during warm winter (an oleander survival winter, such as the last two) makes a strong comeback--a single tuber has colonized a 3'x3' area now. In cold (10-20 F) winters, it survives, but most often the largest tuber has turned to mush, though lots of small side plants spring up from it. I've only had A. macrorrhizos one winter, and I decided to bring it into the cellar after the first frost had nipped it back. The light there is weak--geraniums survive but don't flower--and it didn't do a thing overwinter. It went back out in April. It is now about the size it was when the frost got it last year--noticeable but nothing like Krzysztof's! How big is the pot yours is in Krzystof? Other Alocasias do as Julius suggested--they go out in pot then after a scrubbing the pot comes back in with the orchids in the fall. I'll probably pot up the macrorrhizos this fall and leave it in pot. Clear skies, Al +More +---------------------------------------------------------+ |Al Wootten, Slacktide, Sturgeon Creek at the Rappahannock| |Astronomer (http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/) | |genealogy homepage http://members.tripod.com/~astral | |Deltaville, Virginia (804)776-6369 | +---------------------------------------------------------+

From: stacy holtzman <sholtzma at sunflower.bio.indiana.edu> on 1998.06.23 at 15:40:51(2359) George, I would play it safe and overwinter it indoors for the first year. Then in the second year you can perform your hardiness test , perhaps overwintering some of the babies just in case the big one doesn't make it. Stacu ---Stacy Holtzman +More sholtzma@sunflower.bio.indiana.edu--- ---Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Biology Dept., Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405---

From: Tony Avent <tony at plantdel.com> on 1998.06.24 at 12:31:32(2360) Dear Bob: Sorry to differ with your hardiness of Alocasia macrorrhiza, but it is hardy in zone 7b...occasional temp drops to 0F. While it is better in warmer climes, we have been growing it outdoors for 15 years. It is certainly not hardy outdoors even in the colder parts of zone 7. +More At 09:22 AM 6/23/98 -0500, you wrote: >Alocasia macrorrhiza will not survive your winter temps. It's >iffy in zone 9, as far as coming back from a freeze, and is really >a zone 10-11 subject, although I've seen some recover from the low >20s; but that was in a climate that has very few freezes compared >to zone 6. Tony Avent Plant Delights Nursery @Juniper Level Botanic Gardens 9241 Sauls Road Raleigh, NC 27603 USA phone 919 772-4794 fax 919 662-0370 email tony@plantdel.com website http://www.plantdel.com USDA zone 7b minnium winter temperature 0-10 degrees F maximum summer temperature 100 degrees F

From: Bob Riffle <71270.3070 at compuserve.com> on 1998.06.24 at 23:08:24(2363) Tony, I'm confused. You first write: it is hardy in zone 7b...occasional temp drops to 0F and then you close by writing: It is certainly not hardy outdoors even in the colder parts of zone 7 If it is "hardy" in either part of zone 7, what does it look like after a typical zone 7 winter? You are saying that the trunk will survive in zone 7 without protection?!? I wonder if we're talking about the same plant

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