Re: [aroid-l] Amorphophallus konjac outside

Thanks Paul,
You guessed right. I'm in zone 5 of NW Ohio.  What does zone 5b mean? Is 
there a 5a?

I have always dug my A. Konjac up after the frost in the fall, because that 
is what the man suggested, who sold it to me.  I put it in the basement for 
the winter and replanted it in the spring.   Last year, I planted it on a 
nice warm day.  The following week, it snowed.  The "spike" got mushy from 
the snow, so I cut it back to the corm.  When it came back up about a month 
later, it came up with two "spikes", or two leaves.  I think it would have 
bloomed last year, if I had not planted it so soon.  It was already starting 
to grow in the basement (no dirt). I thought winter was over and planted it 
too soon.  Mother nature wanted to have the last word and snowed, just to 
spite me.  I thought I had killed my "widdle plant".  AFter cutting off the 
"spike", I dissected it out of curiosity.  It had the making of a flower, 
with little seeds, etc.  When it finally emerged after the operation, it came 
out as leaves again.  It wasn't until this spring, that I saw my first 
flowering A. Konjac.  I wonder if cutting it down a year ago, when the snow 
damaged it, caused it to split into two corms.  The corms reminded me of what 
cells look like when they divide into two identical parts. So,  I got two 
flowering plants this spring.  Maybe it was trying to make up for last year, 
when I had to cut it back.

Nancy

In a message dated 5/13/03 12:02:11 PM, ptyerman@ozemail.com.au writes:

<< According to the International Aroid Society website "Hardiness" page 
http://www.aroid.org/horticulture/hardy.html

Amorphophallus kojac has been reported down as low as -15'F.  The actual
entry is as follows.....
Amorphophallus konjac (Zone 5b Kansas City and St. Louis, MO) -15F

Without knowing what sort of temperature etc you are (Northern Ohio isn't
much help to me as I am in Australia and therefore not familiar with your
zones for whichever states) it may or may not grow for you.  At least you
know that as long as you don't get below -15'F there is a good chance it'll
grow for you.

Given the Am. titanum needs tropical conditions there really isn't that
much of a comparison <grin>.  I grow mine outside here but we're pretty
mild compared to a lot of the states as we're only down to -8'C or so each
winter.  Mine has yet to flower but I am still hoping.  Wish I knew what I
wasn't doing right!!

I hope that is some help to you.


Cheers.

Paul Tyerman
Canberra, Australia.  USDA equivalent - Zone 8/9 >>
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