Voodoo lily ( Amorphophallusspp . ) rarely make an appearance in base garden , although they are sometimes essay by adventurous gardeners with a taste for the unusual . Sometimes called corpse flower or devil ’s clapper , these sensitive tropical flora blossom periodically and produce a single large , fleshy blossom that emits a olfactory property similar to rotting heart and soul .
Roughly 170 specie of flower works go to the genusAmorphophallus , most of which share the common name voodooism lily . However , only a handful of fetish lilies are grown by nurseryman , because they are particular about their growing condition and may not be suited to every home because of their tone .
Warning
Voodoo lilies contain oxalate lechatelierite that can cause illness and injury if consumed .
About Voodoo Lilies
All voodoo lily change share trait in common . They are aroids , which means that they belong to the Arum family , Araceae .
Voodoo lilies spring up from tubers or corm , which are fleshy complex body part like to large bulbs . Each spring , the tuber transmit up a grandiloquent flowering that blooms before the plant sprouts leaf stalks and foliage .
Voodoo lily flowers vary in coming into court between species but they have some similarities . Most have a central purplish spadix , which is a shaft - shaped social system covered in tiny flowers . The spadix is surrounded by a spathe , which is a curl of overweight , vase - shaped social structure reminiscent of a calla lily flush .
Tip
The flowers emit a powerful , unpleasant odor to attract pollinator , but the feel disappears after the flower is pollinated .
Types of Voodoo Lilies
Only a few types of voodoo lily plants are commonly grown by nurseryman and alien plant accumulator around the existence .
Elephant Yam
Amorphophallus paeoniifolius , which is known either as voodoo lily or elephant yam , is among the more mutual varieties grown by tropical plant enthusiasts . It grows best in USDA hardiness zones 11 to 12 , so it is only suited to outdoor cultivation in the warmest frost - free climates .
Elephant yams develop umbrella - like foliage on a straight , mottled stem , as well as a large , crease purple flush with a knock-down odor . This plant also forms a large tuber that take a high concentration of oxalate crystals , which make it uneatable when sensitive .
Konjac Plant
The konjac flora ( Amorphophallus konjac ) is a juju lily motley acquire for its lush foliage and centre - view , spotted stems . It grows outdoors in USDA zones 6a to 11b , give it one of the more inhuman - brave voodoo lily species . Konjac plants give rise a large , pinkish - violet prime in leap , which some agriculturist opt to remove due to its intensely unpleasant odor .
Konjac plants are grown as ornamentals but are also widely cultivated in Asia for their tubers . The Tuber are poisonous when in the altogether but can be processed and fudge to give rise a variety of foods .
Devil’s Tongue
The daemon ’s clapper ( Amorphophallus kiusianus ) grows good in USDA plant hardiness zones 7a to 10b . It reaches a matured height of 2 to 4 foundation with a 2- to 3 - foot ranch . Devil ’s tongue blossom are a dull olive green colouring that is not especially center - catching , although the flowers are just as strong - smelling as other voodoo lily varieties .
The flowers morph into a husk of shiny Charles Edward Berry that rank in color from reddish - pink to almost dark . The berries are very showy and will last several workweek , clear up the plant life for the oddment of the grow time of year .
Snake Plant
The splashy , slenderly - less - smelly snake plant life ( Amorphophallus bulbifer ) grows just in USDA plant hardiness zones 7b to 11b . It forms a 3 - understructure - marvelous flower that shifts in color between green and pink . The flower is not as heavily scented as otherAmorphophallusvarieties , but it still has a persistent carrion - comparable perfume until it is pollinate .
pollinate devil ’s tongue flowers develop into a stubble of highly decorative red berry that will endure during the summer calendar month . The non - blinking foliage shuck are also ornamental because they are covered in an intricate , mottled normal reminiscent of snake hide , which earned this plant its common name .
Growing Voodoo Lilies
Voodoo lily need the right growing condition and guardianship year troll to create their characteristic flower .
Growing Conditions
Caring for Voodoo Lilies
hoodooism lilies are relatively miserable - maintenance plants , if they are produce under the good conditions .
- Watering Voodoo Lilies :* * Voodoo lily fuck very dampish soil and should be watered whenever the land surface experience closely teetotal , specially during their efflorescence fourth dimension . Taper off lacrimation in late summertime to allow the works to enter quiescence .
- Feeding Voodoo Lilies :* * Fertilizer is needed when growing voodoo lilies in unamended soil . leave a monthly feeding of high phosphate fertiliser such as 15 - 30 - 15 from early spring until just after mid - summertime , which will further strong genus Tuber ontogenesis and well blooming the following twelvemonth .
- Overwintering Voodoo Lilies :* * Overwintering voodoo lily is an crucial part of their care in cool climate . In frost - free area , they want no special care during the winter month and will return in early bounce with regenerate development . In colder clime , the tuber should be dug up and potted in tardy summer , then winter in a quick , shining room in your home .
Cold - tolerant voodoo lilies can be overwintered in the garden in zone 6 . Cover the voodoo lily bulb or tuber with a 5 - column inch - duncical level of straw or compost to keep the soil from immobilise during moth-eaten weather . move out the screening after all freeze danger has run .
