Re: [aroid-l] A. titanum on eBay

From: Tony Avent <tony at plantdelights.com> on 2004.03.21 at 17:27:08(11319) Aroiders: There has been quite a bit of mis-information recently about Amorphophallus titanum propagation. First, there is no difference in the quality of resulant plants whether the plants are propagated from tissue culture, leaf cuttings, or seed. Second, it does matter how well and how large the plants have been grown since propagation. Third, tissue culture has only been successful on a very limited basis and will probably never be done enough to get the price down to what most people consider reasonable. Weaning plants from tissue culture can be very difficult and can easily result in the loss of an entire crop. Most of the top commercial tissue culture labs in America have tried this crop and ten years later only a few hundred plants have ever reached the public. We have grown plants from all three methods and find that once the plants reach 8-12" in height, they are fine to sell. At this size, our loss rate is zero. Below this size the bulb is virtually non-existant, then stem is limp, and plant can be easily killed with even the slightest of improper care...usually overwatering. I hope this helps. +More At 07:33 AM 3/21/2004 -0500, you wrote: >Hello Alex. The A. titanum we purchased last year, viewed in person, had a >similar wimpy appearance; they were tissue cultured. Healthy, strong >appearance one day and "permanently" dormant the next; that was >approximately 6 months later. No bulb developed. > >It is stated yours was grown from a bulb, you have a gtreater chance at >success. GOOD LUCK...Christian > > >-----Original Message----- >From: aroid-l-owner@lists.ncsu.edu [mailto:aroid-l-owner@lists.ncsu.edu] On >Behalf Of Alex Burgess >Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2004 6:29 AM >To: aroid-l@lists.ncsu.edu >Subject: [aroid-l] A. titanum on eBay > >Hi! I am very new to this list. I noticed this item on eBay (per attached >photo) and just read your recent thread about another such auction where the > >plant was actually A. Konjac. Is this another mistaken identity case or are > >the plants in the picture too young to tell? Hope it is right because I >bought it! I am not expert on amorphophallus. Should I just grow it for >six to ten years with my fingers crossed? Any advice appreciated and thanks > >kindly...Alex > > > Tony Avent Plant Delights Nursery @ Juniper Level Botanic Garden 9241 Sauls Road Raleigh, NC 27603 USA Minimum Winter Temps 0-5 F Maximum Summer Temps 95-105F USDA Hardiness Zone 7b email tony@plantdelights.com website http://www.plantdel.com phone 919 772-4794 fax 919 772-4752 "I consider every plant hardy until I have killed it myself...at least three times" - Avent

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