Amorphophallus PAEONIIFOLIUS

Amorphophallus PAEONIIFOLIUS - Elephant foot yam, whitespot giant arum, Amorphophallus paeoniifolius.

Amorphophallus is a genus belonging to the arum family (Araceae), comprising over 170 different tuberous plants growing in the tropics and subtropics. Plants of this genus grow in western, tropical, and southern Africa, Madagascar, China, India, throughout Indochina, Indonesia, and in certain regions of Australia. Most species are endemics.

Representatives of the genus sometimes have tubers weighing around 5 kg (11 lb). From the tuber grows one, rarely two or three leaves, several meters in width. It persists throughout the growing season, growing taller in the following year. Leaf sheaths are short. The inflorescence takes the form of an elongated or oval spadix.

The plant blooms after a dormant period and before the appearance of a new leaf. The fruits are spherical orange or red berries. Certain members of the genus are evergreen.

Elephant foot yam is a perennial plant with a flattened tuber reaching 50 cm (19.7 in) in diameter and weighing up to 15 kg (33 lb). For several months, the tuber remains dormant. Then a large spadix inflorescence emerges from it, which can reach one meter (3.3 ft) in height. When pollinated, the length of the spadix can increase up to two meters (6.6 ft).

From the spadix grow bright red seeds (berries), ripening in October-November. From the tuber grows one, rarely two leaves with long petioles up to 2 m (6.6 ft) long. Their color changes from light green to almost blackish-green. The leaves are pale green, three-lobed, divided into many leaflets. The leaf size is up to 1 m (3.3 ft) in diameter.

Seeds are planted without soaking into loose, moist soil to a depth of approximately 1 cm (0.4 in). The sowing is moistened with a spray bottle, covered with film, and germinated in light but not in direct sun at a temperature of 22-26 °C (72-79 °F). Seedlings require ventilation. Overwatering and desiccation of the sowings must be avoided.

It should be noted that seeds germinate unevenly. The plant does not require pricking out, as it sheds its leaves for the winter, and the tuber must be stored in a cool, dark place.

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The plant needs to be placed in full sun or partial shade. During the growing season, Amorphophallus requires copious watering; however, care must be taken to ensure the soil does not become waterlogged. At the end of the growing season, watering is restricted, and during dormancy it is not watered. Regular feeding with high-phosphorus fertilizer is required.

The soil must be nutritious and slightly acidic, containing a sufficient amount of sand. Tubers should be planted only if the first apical bud has appeared. The temperature regime during the growing season should range from 20 to 25 °C (68 to 77 °F); tubers are stored at a temperature not lower than 10 °C (50 °F).