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  Re: [aroid-l] Cultural tips for Chlorospatha?
From: "ron iles" <roniles at eircom.net> on 2004.03.06 at 22:26:18(11234)
Lynn, just a quickie

Experimenting with growing Spathiphyllum with entire root systems submerged
even above petiole bases (!!!) seemingly once they have "water roots" even
when the compost is malodorous & the water stagnant, the plants still
thrive. I have noticed the same in aquariums where their substrate sand is
blackened & presumably oxygen deficient submerged aquatics can remain
healthy. I am not suggesting that stagnant water & malodorous compost is
an ideal growing situation only expressing my amazement at the tolerance of
such plants & their dogged persistence & tolerance. I gave many people
Spath cultivars in pots & outer buckets filled with water this winter & none
of the plants have died in spite of the fact that some were in nocturnally
unheated Irish houses in the dead of Winter. The temperatures must have
dropped below 55F or even below 50F. Two years previously my target
temperatures were above 70F & preferably above 80F, a massive charge on
heating budgets. It would be interesting to hear of other aroid genera
which will grow maybe better in water & how increasingly tolerant they are
then of otherwise unfavourable environmental factors e.g Spathiphyllum
cannifolium emersed in water seemingly thrive in full tropic sunlight but if
they dry out completely under such conditions its goodbye plant. A lot of
fundamental questions for which I needed to seek answers but it is now too
late. After another eighteen months, the removal of my Spathiphyllum to
Nancy & maybe Kew is imminent & had I the time, money, energy I would be
reluctant to terminate custody of this genus. But I must give thanks for
the precious gift of Life with other much greater gifts I was priveleged to
be born with & likewise garnered. Any person who cares deeply about life &
has an instinctive for how plants feel can be a fine gardener & Genevieve
Ferry & Kathie King at Kew are prime exemplars for the Collection.

Ron

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