RE: Malodorous plants
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: RE: Malodorous plants
- From: K* K* <k*@netgate.net>
- Date: Tue, 2 Feb 1999 15:13:53 -0800 (PST)
On Wed, 27 Jan 1999, Barry Garcia wrote:
> cdills@fix.net writes:
> >I can't believe this thread.
> > I cannot understand why a person plant something they know is
> >going to stink when it blooms.
Heh, heh, ask certain member of this list about his plantation of
Sauromatum venosum near a rose garden frequently used for weddings :-)
Seriuosly, in my case the reason is that even though they might stink for
a couple of days, they are very pretty and interesting the rest of the
time. For example, spathe of the above mentioned Sauromatum is like
finely patterned brown-and-yellow velvet. Amorphophallus krausei has
unbelieveably pretty leaf veins, like a very fine lace. And is flower
stinks sky-high. A.titanum, mentioned below, is also extraordinarily
pretty - see
http://hoya.mobot.org/ias/Genera/Amorphophallus/ftg_titanum.html. More
beauties from this family can be seen at
http://hoya.mobot.org/ias/Genera/Amorphophallus/amlist.html and
http://u1.netgate.net/~kk/Araceae/Amorphophallus/index.html.
> > I seem to remember reading about another Arum, supposedly that
> >looks like a gigantic skunk cabbage more than ten feet high at bloom.
> >And
> >it has a commensurate stench I'm told.
>
> I think its Latin is Amorphophallus titanum. Ive heard the stench is so
> powerful it can cause people to pass out who smell it. Theres a
> Sardinian arum that supposedly has a stench as stong as a rotting sheep
> carcass (Helicodiceros muscivorus)
Another one of definite mediterranean interest is Arum dioscoridis, which,
I believe, is known as "dead horse arum"... Also medit-worthy are many
other arums (even A.italicum stinks rather badly) and Dracunculus species.
====================
Krzysztof Kozminski
kk@netgate.net
http://u1.netgate.net/~kk/
Legalize freedom. Vote libertarian (and eventually you'll be able to grow
poppies in your frontyard without fear).
