Amorphophallus in Ohio? SURE !
James Waddick (Sat, 17 Jul 2010 22:00:57 PDT)

Dear Diane and all,
I suggest you forward this link to the International Aroid
Society page on Aroid Hardiness. As Steve M. has said the correct
name for your correspondent's plant is Amorphophallus konjac. This
should be fairly reliable in Cinncinnati

http://www.aroid.org/horticulture/hardy.php

Over the course of 15 years, this species could easily
produce underground stolons over a fifteen feet apart (at a foot per
year). And 75 plants is not that many. Where it is happy it can be
very vigorous. Even one double doubled each year would be over 1,000
plants in just 10 years.

Some Amorophallus can also produce bulbils on the leaf at the
point where veins connect to the petiole. Not sure if A konjac does
this.

Anyway 75 plants in 15 years isn't really all that many.

And your correspondent may be confused. Here's A. konjac

http://aroid.org/genera/speciespage.php/…

and here's the even hardier Dracunculus vulgaris

http://aroid.org/genera/speciespage.php/…

These can be confused by beginners*. Dracunculus is far more
tolerant of a variety of cultivation methods and much hardier too.

Seed is usually not produced if only 1 or 2 flowers are
present because of delays in pollen availability and stigma
receptiveness. Timing is crucial. If you have 4 or 5 blooms within a
week of each other you are more likely to get pollination and seed
production.

I certainly encourage growing these very interesting aroids
in Zone 5 or 6 just for their gorgeous foliage.

Best Jim W.

* Then there's Sauromatum venosum also subject to confusion in garden centers.

--
Dr. James W. Waddick
8871 NW Brostrom Rd.
Kansas City Missouri 64152-2711
USA
Ph. 816-746-1949
Zone 5 Record low -23F
Summer 100F +