Other Aroids

Jtlehmann@aol.com Jtlehmann@aol.com
Fri, 17 Jun 2011 09:54:33 PDT
Judy, thank you for the other aroid information.  I have had similar  
"other aroid" experiences:  
 
I grow Pinellia pedatisecta here at my Olathe, KS, home.  It is quite  
vigorous and very winter hardy.  Every growing season I have numerous  seedlings 
that germinate in the planting bed and in the nearby lawn.   However, come 
the following spring, there are incredibly few seedlings that  survive the 
winter.  I think it is because our winters are so cold and dry  for such 
shallow seedlings.  
 
I have had Sauromatum at my house, and at my 20 acre "play property" near  
Paola, KS, for the last 13 years.  It has been reliably winter hardy until  
this last winter...it did not survive.  We had a colder than normal  winter. 
 Also, in those 13 years, I have had no flowers at either  property.  The  
Sauromatum, and Arisaema dracontium, have been  completely deer resistant at 
my Paola property.  The Sauromatum at both  locations has been slow to 
clump.  The Green Dragon is slow to clump at my  Paola property, but very 
readily clumps at home.  I assume it is because of  the better growing conditions 
at home.
 
However, the deer do eat the leaf blades of Arisaema triphyllum at my Paola 
 property and at my fishing cabin near Park Rapids, MN.  I have one  
Jack-in-the-Pulpit at my house that has been in-ground for 13 years and is now  
three large, tall stems.  I assume they clump with time and with no  
disturbance.
 
I once tried Dracunculus vulgaris in-ground at my home.  It lasted  maybe 
two winters (no flowers) before disappearing.  And last summer I  tried a few 
Amorphophallus konjac in-ground.  They grew amazingly well, but  didn't 
emerge this year...I attribute that to our last winter or just to them  not 
being winter hardy enough.
 
I over winter all my aroids like these, which are grown in pots, in my  
garage.  My garage is heated to about 40 F.  They are brought indoors  before 
the frost becomes too heavy or we have a freeze.  If the foliage is  still 
green, I allow it to die down in the garage.  They are then stored on  a 
shelf, but I do give them some minor water about twice during the  winter.  I 
don't know if the water is for my frame of mind or is actually  doing some good 
to the plants.  They are brought outdoors again once the  chance of frost 
is basically over for the spring, or once they begin to  grow.  If they are 
growing early, I take them indoors at night if we have a  chance of frost or 
freeze.  My large Konjac flowers early; it is usually in  bloom for Easter.  
It, too, goes in and out, especially for the first few  days of "stink."  
Even that early in the year it attracts numerous flies  and small beetles, 
but has never set seed as it is only the one genetic  individual.
 
The more unusual or tropical type of bulbous aroids I over winter in my  
house.  They are treated the same as the ones that are over wintered  in the 
garage, but I feel they need warmer dormant temperatures.  
 
Cheers from another rainy day in Olathe, KS!
 
--Jerry Lehmann  


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