Re: Mark's A. titanum

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 ***************************************************************

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