Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius

Family: Araceae

Common names: Elephant-foot Yam

Deciduous herbaceous aroid shrub, up to 2.5m tall, with no apparent stem above ground. Solitary stem-like leaf stalk is fleshy, green and speckled with attractive paler green spots or blotches. Stalk arises from undeground tuber to reach 1.5 – 2.0m above ground surface and holds up a single leaf like an umbrella, thus making the plant resemble a miniature tree. Leaf blade divided into hundreds of small leaflets, with whole cluster reaching 1.5 -3.0m across. Leaflets 3-lobed, each lobe divided into pinnatisect segments. Several leaves may be produced from accessory tubers. Leaves die down after blooming, and regrow from tuber during next season. The flower is held on a single spadix crowned with large bulbous knob, and encircled by a taller, funnel-shaped, velvet-like spathe. Spathe dark brown to maroon on inside, pale green with white spots on exterior, with glossy wrinked margins. Whole inflorescence reaches 40-50cm tall by 30-40cm across.

Sowing instructions: Sow seeds in summer in a rich medium.

Locality: Ex Hort. Harvest: October 2024