Titan Arum ID? (Have pictures!)

16 years ago

Hello,

I have a lovely Amorphophallus seedling, that I grew from seed. I was told they were titanum seeds, but the seed produced several growth points (two developed into leaves), which apparently is not a characteristic of a titanum, yet the petiole seems very much alike that of a titan arum. I have taken several pictures of the plant for ID. It is currently on a heat mat with a Pandanus veitchi sucker. Can anyone identify this plant?

Thanks,

James

Mid Petiole (note white 'spots')

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Tip of petiole (Again, note 'spots')

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Whole of plant (Purple tips to protective leaves)

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Comments (6)

mr.titanum
16 years ago
Hi James,

although it's odd for titanum to send up two leafs from a seed, you are right that the peitole look very much like titanum. It is common, too, that the cataphylls show a purple tip.

In the aroid-L (at least I guess that you posted your question there as well) I wrote that one has to wait for the 3rd or 4th leaf to see the typical whitish spots on the petiole, but I might remember this not correctly.
However, with the following leafs the typical petiole pattern shoud become more pronounced.

Happy growing,
Bernhard.
rhizophora
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi,
Thanks for answering (I was beginning to get worried if I spent all that money on another amorphophallus species)! I am very glad it is a titanum. In your experience, how long from now will the leaf fully open? Also, I was considering using the smaller leaf for leaf cuttings, so I can increase my stock.
Thanks
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mr.titanum
16 years ago
Hi James,
there is no guarantee that it is really titanum; all I can say sofar, that it looks like one. To be sure you have to wait for following leafs with the more distinct pattern.

Regardig the leaf cuttings you could search the archives of the aroid-L and have a look here:
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/aroid/msg101003472796.html?7
in this forum; scroll down and look for the link to the pictures in the German forum.

People who did leaf cuttings in titanum use normally pretty large cuttings, 20 - 30 cm or in "Emperial" about one foot long.
I have in mind that it was posted in the aroid-L that the success with smaller cuttings is poor.
However, I have never tried this myself...

Good growing,
Bernhard.
mr.titanum
16 years ago
Hi James,

I just rememberd that there is still a root visible at you plant.
Since the tuber forms just below the petiole and the roots, the plant should be potted at least about one inch deeper. This helps also to stabilize the petiole.

Good (further) growing,
Bernhard.
rhizophora
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi,
It's a lower cataphyll that has died- I placed the tuber an inch deeper when you told me to on my last post. The leaf is now about half an inch taller than the photo, and is unfolding- I can't believe how fast it is growing! I think I may need to pot it up soon into a bigger pot- the roots are also growing fast!
Thanks,
James
mr.titanum
16 years ago
Hi James,

good to read that the plant is doing well.

They can do with a relatively small pot, just have a look at the plants to see with the link below: 4 inch pot

However, there are also reports that reccommend 'overpotting', will say using a pot that looks too big for the tuber, in order to grow them big.

Good growing,
Bernhard.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:395220}}