Re: [aroid-l] question about tubers vs. bulbs

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at msn.com> on 2003.05.06 at 23:36:14(10191) Hello Dan, Thanks for the input. I`m sure that some 'clones' bloom more regularly than others, lucky you! :--) We must bear in mind that A. konjac is in MOST cases derived from cultivated material that has been selectively grown as a food item for thousands of years, so the species is capable of all kinds of 'clones' and mutations. Fanny and Craig Phillips, founding members of the IAS, and both legendary Amophophallus/Aroid growers, had several different clones, some dwarf that bloomed when tiny, 9" miniature replicas of the other GIANT clones that bloomed at 8' tall! Wild-collected species should/will tend to be more 'standardized' and predictable. So, I guess the thing to do is to fertilize like crazy, grow for as long as possible before dormancy sets in, and some may be lucky enough to have a bloom every or nearly year in A. konjac! I urge you all to make the effort and join the IAS as there is SO much good printed articles on the growing of Amorphophallus sps., one in particular on cultivation methods by the Amorphophallus 'King-grower, my friend Craig Allen at Fairchild Gardens in Miami, Florida who presently has several specimens of the GIANT species in bloom, and others by 'Lord Phallus', my friend Wilbert Hetterschied on the different species and growing hints for these rare and most interesting plants!! Good growing! Julius +More > Hi Julius & Nancy, > > No doubt there will be a flurry of responses on this topic, but in > the interest of providing yet another data point: my largest tuber > of Am. konjac (approx. 10" / 25 cm diameter) blooms like clockwork > every year in April. It then takes a few months off before commencing > with its foliar phase, which here in the San Francisco Bay Area persists > until December or January before collapsing. A few months more rest, > then the cycle repeats. It's been 4 years so far, with little to no deviation > from the above schedule. > > > -Dan Levin > Piedmont, CA > > > > << It may be several > > > > years before it re-builds enough 'strength'/size to bloom again. >> > > > > OH, my, I assumed that once it matured, it would bloom every year from now > > on. Boo hoo. I guess I should savor the moment then, huh. It has been in > > the 60's most of the week, so it has not been stinky yet. Thank God! > > Am. konjac is to my knowledge never an overwhelming stinker. > Think "dead cat" smell or thereabouts. By comparison, poor Craig Allen at FTG > has been subjected to the likes of "dead rhinoceros" lately. It's all relative, Nancy! > > > > > Does anyone know how much the tubers are worth? > > > > >

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