Amorphophallus-Forum.de

Hi Thorsten,

This is difficult - aphyllus is considered similar to hard kultivierbar how pendulus or bufo, that has certainly different grounds in the species.

Before the images of the natural site here at aunt google, it is a harder mineral soil (clay?), but Hetterscheid has cultivated open bar in humosem substrate. http://www.aroid.org/genera/serveimage.php?key=1115

In the bot garden in HH they stood in the Bromeliad, since it is assumed that the type requires very high temperatures; but as far as I know, the culture in HH life has failed.

In the Palmengarten in Frankfurt/a.M. There were at least two years ago some large plants; I don't know if that still live or in which substrate which are available.

I got 3 seeds last year, of which one has made a small tuber (0.5 cm) and pushes the just a leaf bud.
I'll probably put them in Seramis and keep slightly moist, and see what happens.
Last year it was noteworthy, the growth period was how just before the sheet was yellow and moved.



Good luck! It would be very helpful if you would tell your experiences...

Happy growing, Bernhard.

Hi Thorsten,

I've got just the info from from an aphyllus owners from Italy that he cultivates his aphyllus in the following substrate:

60% of gardening soil (Vigorplant with Irish and Baltic peat based) (it's like trofbasierte standard soil or TKS (peat growing medium))
30% of Agriperlite
10% of vermiculite

Happy mixing, Bernhard.

Thank you very much Bernhard for your very useful input.

I just bought a few seeds and was also searching for some extra information, the more we can gather, the better :-)

What I have heard from the seller is that he found them in all kinds of different soil types, they seem to be quite common in their distribution range. What I heard is that, at least the area where the recent seeds come from, is that the rain season starts in October and that a lot of rain can fall in that period. After a few months, don't know exactly how long it takes, it's getting warmer and dryer again. In full summer the temperature can rise to 55 degrees Celsius.

As a soil mixture I was thinking of peat based soil, with lots of perlite, clay mineral, some coarse sand and maybe a little bark.

Bernhard, may I ask why you would try seramis? Haven't tried it yet, so I would like to know the benefits, before I'm going to try it with a species like aphyllus.

So soil seems to be not a real big issue, as long as it has good drainage, they don't like to have wet feet for too long. I also heard that the roots aren't really fragile.

So far I've been able to keep A. bufo alive for 1,5 years now, including 1 short dormancy period (on a heatmat, big pot in the windowsill faced to the south). Completely different species, different requirements. Although bufo likes some extra heat also. I was thinking of keeping the aphyllus in a terrarium for a while, not the biggest species and I have some empty ones. Easier to control heating and light. What kind of light should I use? What I've heard is that heat is the most important and probably a bit more light then with most species might also be beneficial.

And a nice healthy looking tuber you've got there :-)

Hi Atropos,

good to read that aphyllus grows in all kind of substrates; so drainage, humidty and diseases are probalby more important.

I will try Seramis because it is inert and definitely free of fungi and bacteria.
Beside that it is very good draining and I made good experiences with Seramis in the recent time.
See also: Seramis als Subtrat für schwierige Arten ( titanum, gigas, decus-silvae etc.)

Is the bufo you grow a low land origin or a highland origin as mine? About the latter it is said that ist needs lower temperatures and is sensitive to higher temperatures.

Happs growing, Bernhard.

Here's some information about the climate in the region the recent aphyllus seeds and tubers have been collected. I also heard that they grow in shaded areas, but also in full sunlight.

http://ds.data.jma.go.jp/gmd/tcc/tcc/pro…s=1&r=1&e=4&k=0

Luckily there aren't many diseases in Amorphophallus species. And especially during dormancy you need to keep an eye out for the humidity.

Sounds logic with the seramis, bit the same with perlite, I store my Indonesian species in it and they root very well in it, but when they stick their heads above the perlite I plant them in the soil. Feels a bit safer, especially with fertilizing etc. But I will experiment a bit with it, when I have some spare plants.

@Bernhard, as far as I know, both of my bufo are from the Lowlands. Will ask Christian about it. Nice to hear you have Highland, hope you will be successful growing them to flowering size. If you ever have a spare one, maybe we can swap. Also in my opinion a slow growing species.