Two Amorphophallus urceolatus are about to tie the knot!

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Last week, or June 30 to be exact, the first of my two Amorphophallus urceolatus opened its spathe, and what a gorgeous specimen it proved to be. Unlike more typical examples, this one had a more flaring spathe with wavy margins and an overall darker coloration- I mean, both the appendix and most of the spathe is purple-black! Suffice to say, this is the most spectacular individual I have ever seen of this species.


And today, the second of the two finally opened up its spathe widely. I would say that the spathe behavior is quite typical of the species, being more urn-shaped ('urceolatus' means 'urn-shaped') and with inwardly rolled margins, with more well-defined markings at the base than the previous one. Color-wise, it isn't as dark, but definitely darker than many other examples I have seen, which appear more washed-out and diluted. Call me haughty, but such plants, in my opinion, are horticulturally inferior. Nevertheless, the entire structure is comparatively taller in relation to the darker one. Four days ago I harvested pollen from that first specimen, to be deposited on the female flowers of this second one. So essentially I am hoping that the more widely opening spathe, superb texture, wavy margins, and brooding color of the male parent will be mixed with the taller inflorescence and more defined spathe markings of the mom plant. Let's see how things go 😉 But as of now, I'm thinking of nicknames I can give to these two to better represent them instead of me just saying "the first one and the second one" 😂😅



The name Amorphophallus urceolatus. as of this writing, is a nomen nudum or an unpublished name even though it has been circulating for a number of years now. However, I believe that a formal description is now forthcoming. The spadix begins to heat up and disperse the stench by about 4 PM and the odor wafts freely till the evening hours. These plants are rare in cultivation, both here in the Philippines and abroad.

Now, why do I get the feeling that I will soon be swamped with inquiries for these plants?




Comments

  1. Sten17 June 2020 at 23:24

    Wowowow!! This is a really, really fantastic species!!! You don't happen to have some spare seeds of it, do you? I'd give an arm and a leg for a few. My email address is sten.svantesson[at]gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jardinerong Sunog17 June 2020 at 23:46

      Hi Sten! Unfortunately, the seedlings have all been reserved to a couple of acquaintances. The peduncle snapped off after a particularly strong typhoon and it was just fortuitous that at least some of the berries ripened enough to be able to germinate; most were still green when the thing broke off.

      Delete
  2. G.C.S7 March 2024 at 19:51

    Wow, this blog post was incredibly informative about Amorphophallus urceolatus! As a student researcher delving into this fascinating species, I found myself captivated by the insights provided. I'm particularly curious about the cultivation methods discussed. Could you please share more details on how you were able to successfully cultivate this unique plant?

    ReplyDelete

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