The Amorphophallus Titanum

The Amorphophallus Titanum, more commonly famous as the corpse flower, blooming process can take up to 10 years, and the bloom only lasts 24-36 hours. The corpse flower is one of the rarest and largest flowers in the world, not to mention one of the only flowers that emit the smell of rotting flesh. The flower, named "Rosie", is bloom produce small reddish fruit that will take six months to ripen. Amorphophallus titanum, also recognized as the titan arum, is a flowering plant with the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. The titan arum's inflorescence is not as large as that of the talipot palm, Corypha umbraculifera, but the inflorescence of the talipot palm is branched rather than unbranched. The scent is a deception device that tricks pollinators into thinking the plant is rotting organic matter.

When it blooms, it emits a repulsive odor of rotting flesh, but it's amusing to some insects.  The smell attracts beetles and flies that the plant needs for pollination. Once the fruit ripens, Tucson Botanical Gardens will take the seeds out and sow them to try to grow some smaller Amorphophallus Titanums or share seeds with other botanical gardens. The corpse flower named “Rosie” is located at the Cox Butterfly and Orchid Pavilion exhibit. Amorphophallus titanium, translates as "giant misshapen penis" holds the record for the world's largest unbranched inflorescence (flowering structure).

This mesmerizing species is a tropical rainforest plant can grow in a container. The retail-size plants that we sell are 1-2 yr old seedlings that will grow to about 24 inches tall in their first year. So you should start with a 6" or 8" container. As the tuber gets larger, you should pot it up (be careful not to bruise or nick the tuber during transplanting or else it could rot). Although the flower is naturally found only in Indonesia, since 1889 they have been successfully cultivated in botanical gardens around the world including Kew Gardens in London and the University of Washington, Seattle.

 

How to Grow Philodendron

The name “philodendron” means “tree loving” inspired by the tree climbing habit of many of these South and Central American jungles plants. Some species are not so jungle plants. Philodendron is a large genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family. Some species are not so vining in their habit, however forming new growth at the base, branching and creeping along the ground; these are known as the “self heading” types. Philodendrons may seem like rather mundane pants simply because they are so common because they are so easy to grow. Further, Philodendron houseplants are quite often perplexed with pothos plants. Whereas the leaves of these two plants are alike in shape, pothos plants are more often than not variegated with splotches of yellow or white color. Because, pothos is a much smaller plant as well and is often sold in hanging baskets.

 

Anyone can grow a philodendron. But they can be used in interesting ways cascading from indoors balconies, for instance. And there are many species and cultivars you have probably never heard of but might like to grow once you start to explore them. The most familiar philodendron, a vining plant with smooth, heart-shaped leaves, is sometimes called “heart leaf” and is known by three Latin names; Philodendron scandens, P. oxycardium and P. cordatum. You also might try the vinnin P. bipennifolium, or fiddle-leaved philodendron, which has large, violin shaped leaves when full grown. Usually, however, philodendrons germinate on trees.

 

Like many vining plants it is often grown on a bark-covered support (usually a piece of wood). P. selloum, sadle-leaved philodendron, has deeply lobed leaves and is a self-heading type, as is P. wendlandii, which looks something like a bird’s nest fern. There are also philodendrons, varieties with brightly colored or variegated leaves. If you want to grow philodendrons then give bright light if possible, they will tolerate low light but don’t like strong, direct sun. Philodendrons have both aerial and subterranean roots. Nothing like most houseplants, philodendrons don’t experience as much stress when moving from indoor to outdoor settings.

 

Moreover, average warmth and humidity are fine, though they prefer quite humid air, and the variegated ones like it pretty warm. Keep the soil evenly moist but not too wet, and feed about once a month with a liquid houseplant fertilizer. Feed less in winter, a bit more in spring and summer. They like an average potting soil with organic matter and should be repotted only when very root bound. Pinch straggly, vining specimens if you want them bushier. They are propagated very easily from stem cuttings tip cutting for vining types. 

 

Lilacs in the Spring

Lilac has become one of the most popular of our garden shrubs. The emergence of its sweat smelling blossom in May is a sure sign the summer is just around the corner. Many of the lilacs being grown these days are specially breed varieties that offer a range of flower colors from white, through pink or blue, to deep violet. The original lilacs had pale pinkish violet flowers the color now called lilac.

 

Lilac belongs to that small group of plants that are so familiar in Britain that people mistakenly assume they are native. In fact, most lilac species are native to Asia, with just a few species being found in Eastern Europe. All lilac species are members of the same genus, Syringa, which is itself a member of the olive family. Like other members of this large family, such as privet, ash and forsythia, lilac grows extremely well in the British Isles. One great advantage is that it is tolerant of both acid and alkaline soils. Indeed, on a small scale lilac has become naturalized in this country. The earliest species of lilac to be introduced in Britain and still the one most commonly grown here is the common lilac “Syringa vulgaris”. This species is native to Eastern Europe and Asia Minor. The word lilac comes from the Persian word for bluish lilac or nilak. It was first appeared in Western Europe I the 16th century and was introduced to Britain in 1621 by the naturalist John Tradescant, who later became King Charles I’s gardener.

 

In appearance, the common lilac is typical in many ways of most Syringa species. It is a shrub or occasionally a small tree, growing no higher than 8m. Usually, it it has several stems growing from the base although there may be just a single slim trunk. The bark is smooth and grey. The leaves are mid green, smooth surfaced and have a characteristic heart shape. They are folded along the central vein so that when seen in cross section, they are shaped like a V. The leaves can grow to a length of 15cm.

 

The flowers emerge in May on pyramidal panicles about 15 to 20cm long. On common lilac, the flowers are not surprisingly, lilac colored but on other species of lilac they can vary from white to pink, mauve, blue or deep purple. The panicles may also be much longer on other species, sometimes reaching a length of 45cm. The flowers are followed by the fruits. These consist of flattened capsules that split, each releasing two winged seeds; they ripen in October.

 

Soon after the common lilac reached Britain the first of many lilacs native solely to Asia was discovered. This was the Persian lilac “Syringa laciniata”, named after the country in which western botanists first discovered it growing. In fact, it has been cultivated in both Persia and India for centuries. The Persian lilac in much smaller than the common lilac, rarely reaching more than 2cm in height. It is unusual among lilac in having leaves that are lobed rather like those of an oak. It produces violet purple flowers in May.

 

The Persian and common lilacs were crossed several times in attempts to produce a superior lilac. The most notable success came in 1795, when once Monsieur Varin, the Director of Botanic Garden at Rouen in France, produce a hybrid that was named Rouen lilac “Syringa x chinensis”. This is a handsome shrub, still popular among gardeners. It grows to a height of 4.5cm and bears large compound panicles of lilac colored flowers in May. At this time of the year, the whole bush may be covered with flowers.

 

Moreover, during the 19th century, many more lilac species were discovered and brought back to Britain as botanists began to explore the Far East. The famous plant hunter, Robert Fortune, discovered Syringa oblate growing in a Shanghai garden in 1856. Unluckily it does not flower well in this country because its blossom appears early in the year. Often, a spell of warm weather in early spring induces the flower buds to grow, only for them to be killed soon after by a sudden cold snap.

 

Despite its frequent failure to flower well, S. oblate soon proved itself to be a useful source from which to breed hybrids and varieties. Many of the beautifully colored lilacs grown today are crosses between the common lilac and S. oblate. Much of this work was done by the French horticulturists Victor Lemoine and his son Emile in Nancy during the 1870s’. Several of the far eastern species of lilac resemble small trees rather than shrubs. For example Syringa pekinensis grows to a height of 6m and always has single trunk. In June its spreading branches are covered with a profusion of cream colored flowers borne on small panicles 7 to 12 long. This species was discovered in northern China at the end of the last century.

 

Further, during the 19th century one further species of European lilac was found to place alongside the common lilac. It was discovered in 1830 growing in Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains of Eastern Europe by the Baroness of Josika. It is now known as the Hungarian lilac “Syringa josikaea”. This lilac is not one of the most attractive but like Syringa oblate, it has proved to be a useful source for hybrids and varieties. Many of the finest modern lilacs were raised from this species by Dr Isabella Preston, who worked in Ottawa, Canada during 1920’s. One of the most popular of her hybrids is Bellicent a large arching shrub with clear pink flowers trusses about 25cm. Which appears in May? Traditionally, lilac used to play an important role in folk medicine, the flowers and bark being used to reduce fevers. Lilac must have made an unpleasant medicine since it has an extremely bitter taste. The wood from a lilac shrub has few commercial uses nowadays, though in Victorian times it was used for decorative inlay work.