Re: Taccarum tubers!!

From: "Julius Boos" ju-bo at email.msn.com> on 2001.09.19 at 15:39:57(7518) Hi Friends, Just a short note on one of the aroid-related 'items' that never ceases to enthuse me and lift my presently very sagging and sad spirits at this time of the year---- it is when my good friend Bobby who lives close by digs up the tubers of his BIG Taccarum weddellianum as the wonderful Amorphophallus-like leaves yellow and fall off! This year these tubers really are a magnificent sight to behold, each about 7-10" in Dia., at least 6-7" thick/deep, smooth with the growing point looking like a big gorilla`s thumb-nail, other numerous dormant secondary growth-points/'eyes' scattered over the tuber`s surface, and a wonderful cream color when first they see the light of day. (They remind me of a big, flat 'kholrabi' ( ? spelling) stem). BUT---the best part about this aroid genus is that we can actually enjoy observing these dormant tubers as the change color (and shape) from a beautiful 'clean' shiny cream to a deep, almost-translucent jade-green on exposure to the air and light! I believe that this is one of the few Aroids that can really be enjoyed all year round, even when dormant! +More IF anyone (Lord P.???) has any other specie beside T. weddellianum in their collection, I once more appeal to their sense of kindness and pity, yes pity, to PLEASE spare me a small off-set (or seed?) if and when any may become available. There are 5 species reported in this strictly South American genus, and only one seems to be common in cultivation here in the U.S., though the late and GREAT Dr. Monroe Birdsey swore that he had a second species, he promised me a plant of it, but sadly passed away unexpectidly before he could do so. If anyone has specimens of this second species here in the US please contact me off-L. We saw photos of another species of Taccarum at the MOBOT conference a while ago with a wonderful reb/maroon basal area to the petiole, a plant 'to die for'! Last year I distributed seed of this genus ( T. weddell.) to several members world-wide, and would love to hear how the plants are doing if they germinated, several friends have reported that this is a FAST grower, and I would guess that with good care would reach flowering size in about 3-4 years! A good friend in Australia reports that his seed failed to germinate, and I wonder if they might have been subjected to some extreme condition either in the mail OR by the customs authorities. Only a couple days to go till Miami, and I am excited! See you all there! Cheers, Julius

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