RE: Amorphophallus titanum flowering at Selby Gardens

Ah, so it IS going to flower! Well, that makes my previous message
superfluous. That's what you get when you leave town........

Cheers,
Wilbert

> ----------
> From: 	SelbyHort@aol.com[SMTP:SelbyHort@aol.com]
> Reply To: 	aroid-l@mobot.org
> Sent: 	maandag 10 mei 1999 23:21
> To: 	hetter@VKC.NL
> Subject: 	Amorphophallus titanum flowering at Selby Gardens
> 
> Here is a copy of our latest press release. The largest bud is now
> showing 
> spathe and spadix through an opening in the outer sheaths and is about
> 35 
> inches tall, growing about 3-4 inches per day. Based upon flowering
> data from 
> Fairchild Tropical Garden and Atlanta Botanical Garden, our largest
> bud 
> should be open in about 10-12 days. The smaller may be up to a week
> later, so 
> we are planning a pollination attempt. Stay tuned to our web site at: 
> www.selby.org
> 
> Donna Atwood
> Selby Gardens
> 8aa S. Palm Ave.
> Sarasota, FL 34236
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> COLOSSAL BOTANICAL SUPERSTARS PREPARE TO FLOWER
> AT MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS
> 
> 	The Titan arum, or Amorphophallus titanum, considered by some to
> be 
> the  world?s largest flower, is rapidly developing its immense bloom
> at Selby 
> Gardens.  Sometime during mid-May, this bizarre behemoth of the plant
> world 
> will unfold a frilled crimson pleated bud encasing a towering columnar
> 
> spadix, rising from the center, ultimately reaching a predicted height
> of 
> seven feet or more.  This rare flowering event has only occurred 7
> times 
> during this century in the United States.  It is a true botanical
> wonder!
> 	Over the next two weeks, the Titan Arum, known only from Sumatra
> but 
> a close relative of the more familiar Jack-in-the-Pulpit, will
> vigorously 
> unfurl its complex inflorescence composed of hundreds of individual
> male and 
> female flowers.  During this time, the bud will grow about 4 inches a
> day, 
> but the full flowering will last only 48 hours, afterwards collapsing 
> dramatically of its own weight.  
> 	This event promises even greater titillation than all others of
> this 
> kind, as Selby will have TWO of these magnificent monsters in bloom!
> Because 
> all living organisms vary, both plants may not reach their peak
> flowering on 
> exactly the same day.  But this lapse of a few days between the
> critical 
> point will allow Selby?s horticulturists an unprecedented opportunity
> to 
> hand-pollinate one of the plants by transferring pollen from male
> flowers of 
> one plant to female flowers of the other.  Never before has the Titan
> Arum 
> yielded seeds in cultivation, so this planned attempt, if successful,
> will be 
> a first!
> 	Visitors can view the flowering giants in the trellis area just 
> outside the doors of Selby?s Display House, beginning Thursday, May 6,
> 1999, 
> from 10 AM to 5 PM daily, until the end of flowering which is
> predicted to be 
> sometime around May 20-25.  It is not yet certain exactly how long
> this 
> amazing display will last, so visitors are advised to call
> 941-366-2815 for a 
> recorded message with daily progress reports. For images and updates 
> throughout the flowering event check Selby's web page at:
> www.selby.org
>
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