Gloriosa superba

[Ron]

I have a friend who wants a few Gloriosa superba tubers to plant this spring.  Does anyone have any recommendations for a good USA source?  Terra Ceia Farms in North Carolina has some, but I have never dealt with them, so any feedback would be appreciated.

[Jerry Ripperda]

I have purchased Gloriosa from Terra Ceia Farms in 2021 and 2022. Both purchases had high quality tubers.

[Ron]

Good to hear that.  I put some on order a while back, looking forward to getting them in March.

[Robert_Parks]

Good to hear that.  I put some on order a while back, looking forward to getting them in March.

A few years ago I got an assortment of Gloriosa tubers from large bulb companies...they all arrived in good condition and came up with the geophyte aroids I start inside. Summer temperatures here put them in tuber growing mode so I got short sprigs with big tubers. All were replaced with Bomareas which thrive in the cloud forest conditions.

[Ron]

That's interesting.  I had no idea they would grow that differently with different conditions.  They should do well here in sunny Southern California.

[Robert_Parks]

That's interesting.  I had no idea they would grow that differently with different conditions.  They should do well here in sunny Southern California.

Indeed. The aroids want warmth to initiate growth, but then will continue and mature their leaves in the cool fog. Gloriosa apparently felt the summer was impending autumn, stopped growing leaves, bulked up the tubers, and went dormant.

Heck, they would probably do well in the Mission District on the east side of SF, 2 miles from here, just not in an exposed west facing wind/fog tunnel.

[Ron]

The aroids want warmth to initiate growth...

I was wondering if that might be the case.  My Amorphophallus did not sprout at all last year, though the tubers looked healthy.  When they died back in the fall of 2021, I had put them in a new spot where they would stay dry during the winter, but it was also a much cooler spot than before.  I figured I would move them to a sunny spot when they sprouted, but they never did.

[Robert_Parks]

The aroids want warmth to initiate growth...

I was wondering if that might be the case.  My Amorphophallus did not sprout at all last year, though the tubers looked healthy.  When they died back in the fall of 2021, I had put them in a new spot where they would stay dry during the winter, but it was also a much cooler spot than before.  I figured I would move them to a sunny spot when they sprouted, but they never did.

If I don't force the aroids, they don't come up til Indian Summer in September. March-ish I put up and water inside, and push them temps to 70F. Gorgonidium, Dracunculus, and some Sauromatum are self starters

For me, almost everything aroid gets a jump start in the spring.

And every year there are a few that take a pass for the year.

Robert
no snow, but bearably chilly for the winter bulbs

[Ron]

Thanks - I'll try forcing mine this year, if it ever starts to warm up.  We've had mostly below average temps for the last 4 months.  The coldest southern California winter I can remember, though not bad compared with many other places.

Ron

Where we got 8 inches (20 cm) of rain in the last 4 days, which is half of our yearly average, but we sure needed it.