Re: hardiness of Amorphophallus konjac

Pretty much the same story as with Sauromatum - quite hardy here in NW
Arkansas, nominally USDA zone 6. We've been warmer than normal the last 3
years or so (so much so that even Gloriosa survived outside last winter),
but I've been growing these for nearly 15 years now and they've survived
overnight lows of -25 C and several days of sub-freezing weather. 

As with most aroids, they seem able to "move" by one mechanism or another
to whatever depth they prefer, and konjac seems to like it a bit deeper
than Sauromatum - maybe 10-15 cm for smaller tubers, a little more for
larger. 

They are later to break dormancy for me, early June this year. Many people
have remarked on the tendancy of konjac to grow ever-larger tubers year by
year until some magic point is reached, and the large tuber becomes
several (I've seen up to 5 or so) smaller tubers, and mine do this
outdoors as well as in the greenhouse.

I grow it in full sun; it produces leaves up to a meter or so high with
petioles maybe 3-4 cm in diameter, but I've seen much larger specimens
other places. I don't know if that's just the size this clone reaches, or
if the relatively high light keeps it compact. I'd love to try some of the
dwarf/giant clones for comparison.

Steve

On Sat, 5 Aug 2000, Diana Reeck wrote:

> Here's another one I have  a question about  - Amorphophallus konjac - 


-- Steve Marak
-- samarak@arachne.uark.edu
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