How to care for amorphophallus: tips for lovers of snake palm

Scientists call Indochina the birthplace of this formless escape (namely, the name of the plant is translated from Latin). Lilia Voodoo develops from a large, orange-sized tuber hidden underground. Some amorphophallus has a dormant period. But among the varieties of this flower there are those snake palms that belong to evergreens.

Common types of unusual flower

Despite the variety of the floral genus of the snake palm, only three species are most often found in greenhouses, conservatories, and window sills.

1. Amorphophallus titanic (Amorphophallus titanum). The "growth" of this true giant can reach five meters. Of these, two meters is the height of the cob, which, like a blanket, is wrapped in one meaty petal of a deep burgundy color.
2. Amorphophallus cognac (Amorphophallus konjac). TOA compact voodoo lily with a peduncle, the height of which barely exceeds half a meter. In eastern countries, the cultivation of amorphophallus at home is not in the name of beauty, but for the production of daily bread. Tubers of this kind of diabolical language are boiled and eaten. In addition, the underground part of the plant can be dried, crushed and used as a seasoning for many national dishes.
3. Amorphophallus bulbous (Amorphophallus bulbifer). WITHthe last of the three species described by size flower. In height, it reaches about one and a half meters. In this case, the "growth" of the conical peduncle is usually equal to one fifth of the height of the plant.

Botanical characteristics

All varieties of snake palm trees like moderate heat and despise direct sunlight. This outlandish plant needs a temperature of 22 ° C and diffuse lighting for active growth and propagation during flowering. If you are ready to play by the rules of amorphophallus, then you can easily grow any of the “domesticated” species of this flower, the botanical characteristics of which are described in the following table.

Table - The main characteristics of the popular species of amorphophallus

Growth amorphophallus care

Caring for a giant flower is considered a moderate occupation. The plant requires time and attention, but is ready to generously pay with its incredible appearance for the minutes and hours allotted to the owner. Well-groomed amorphophallus blooms only once a year. Flowering lasts about 14 days.

Where to put the pot

The story of how to care for amorphophallus after purchase begins with the installation of the pot in the right place. It should be placed where there is really a lot of light: in the living room near the window, on the veranda, in the bright dining room or loggia, which is insulated. A tropical guest loves bright light, but is intolerant of direct sunlight in the summer.

Likes heat or cold

Reviews about growing a snake palm in an apartment indicate that capricious amorphophallus requires different temperature conditions depending on the time of year. In the hot period, when outside the window there is summer heat, the temperature in the range from 20 ° C to 25 ° C will be optimal for the handsome man. And during the winter hibernation, the representative of the tropics prefers the cold: in winter, 12-13 ° C is considered the ideal temperature for amorphophallus.

Humidity level

A tropical plant even in our latitudes remains tropical. The devilish tongue loves high humidity, and in the summer it is always glad to spray from the spray gun. Therefore, in a tandem with an air conditioner constantly operating in the hot season, the owner of an amorphophallus should use a household humidifier. Low importance is the main reason why amorphophallus does not bloom at home.

Watering frequency

Answering the question of how to care for amorphophallus, one cannot but touch upon the problem of watering. This plant needs moisture only in the growth phase. The watering algorithm is as follows:

1. We take purified water.
2. Pour into the pot, as if drawing a circle along the edge of the ground.
3. Check if the pan is filled with water.
4. Leave the flower for 40-60 minutes.
5. We pour out the remaining water from the pan, being sure that the moisture is evenly distributed over the substrate.

Pest control

The protagonist of the article is a strong and strong flower. This tropical resident is not afraid of either pests or diseases that other green pets fear. The only one that can harm amorphophallus is a spider mite. But proper care of the plant will protect it from the appearance of this problem. The spider mite is afraid of high humidity, and therefore, with a well-groomed amorphophallus, it is usually not on its way.

Feeding rules

Feeding is good when it is literate. Amorphophallus should be fertilized only after the leaf is opened 100%. If you start feeding earlier, nothing bad will happen, but you should not count on the miraculous effect of fertilizers. At the time of complete opening of the leaf, the root system of the plant is already sufficiently developed and ready to absorb beneficial substances. But before the disclosure of the sheet, she is still not able to learn the usefulness. Fertilizers with a high phosphorus content are considered ideal for feeding amorphophallus. Its amount should be four times the content of other chemical elements.

Features of the flowering period: why not touch

The devilish tongue is a monoecious plant.This means that heterosexual flowers are located on the same peduncle. The only thing that separates them is the sterile area, thanks to which they do not touch each other.

Caring for a palm tree amorphophallus during flowering is the same as on ordinary days. But when you see a flower, do not rush to rejoice, and certainly do not rush to touch it. In the case of amorphophallus, the “terrible, kind inside” rule applies exactly the opposite. When the amorphophallus snake palm tree blooms, it has a magnificent appearance. But it smells, to put it mildly, disgusting.

The researchers found that the "aroma" of the snake palm tree consists of very unexpected chemical compounds that are found in:

• secretion of sweat glands;
• flavored cheese;
• human and animal vital products;
• rotten fish.

Hibernation Time

As soon as autumn comes, the leaf of the tropical handsome begins to fade. Noticing this, it is necessary to cut it off, carefully remove the tuber from the ground, shake it off the ground and carefully examine its surface. Identified rotting on the tuber locations must be eliminated. It is worth cutting dead parts.

"Operated" places should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. After this, the tuber can be considered fully prepared for the winter, put in a cardboard box and put in a closet on the balcony. Preparing for the plant dormancy period, focus on the recommendations from the table.

Table - General storage conditions for amorphophallus tubers

Spring awakening

With the advent of spring, the tuber must be removed from the cache and examined for an increase in the growth point. If the tuber began to develop, then it’s time to plant the Voodoo lily in the ground. If you are interested in transplanting amorphophallus, pay special attention to the diameter of the tub: it should be three times larger than the diameter of the planted tuber.

In the wild, the plant chooses limestone rich soil. It is possible to cater to the "domesticated" amorphophallus by offering it soil with the following composition:

• sand;
• leaf soil;
• humus;
• peat;
• turf.

The fourth part of the pot, designed for Voodoo lilies, needs to be covered with drainage. Do not throw out residual soil. During the entire period of growth, the earth will have to be poured into the pot. From the moment of planting, you need to start abundantly watering the amorphophallus palm, keeping in mind that high-quality watering and suitable humidity are the key to the full development of this representative of the tropical flora.

Surprisingly, the snake palm easily reproduces in the conditions of an ordinary city apartment. Knowing how to care for amorphophallus and having mastered the simple skills of watering and transplanting, by the end of the flowering period, you can become a happy "parent" of several tubers at once. In addition, the flower, happy with the care, generously gives seeds. To reproduce the snake palm, you need to properly extract the seeds from the ripened berries and plant them in the spring.

Reviews: “A large and beautiful flower, but it would be better not to bloom”

Firstly, the flower is absolutely unpretentious. It can tolerate shade and dryness, although, of course, you should not get carried away. It does not need exquisite treatment in the form of a crown or special fertilizers, just water it and spray it from time to time and everyone will be happy))) Secondly, in just 2-3 years, without much effort, the flower can grow to a decent size - more than a meter . Thirdly, he is beautiful. Well, of course, there are more beautiful specimens, but in this case, beauty does not require much effort. The spotted trunk, a sprawling green crown (in fact, this is a leaf), is a bit like a palm tree.Fourth, another nice feature - after heavy watering or before rainy weather, drops of water appear on the sharp tips of the leaf, it looks beautiful.

elektronik, http://irecommend.ru/content/zver-po-prozvishchu-zmei

I live for 10 years, but thank God I did not bloom even once. It is a palm tree from April to October, then it turns yellow, I cut it to the wall until the end of February. I have never watered in the winter.

Lyudmila Erokhina, http://frutisad.ru/amorfofallus-krasivaya-pahuchka/

It blooms only in the fourth year and it would be better if it didn’t bloom, the smell, but I want to say the smell, and not the aroma of this flower resembles rotten meat that has been warm for a week, as my family survived this smell and even in winter cold, I I can’t imagine, and yet they waited for flowering.

katrinka2104, http://otzovik.com/review_1105939.html