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tropicbreezent

Interesting aroid flower

tropicbreezent
11 years ago

I've been waiting for this aroid of mine to flower. It wasn't going to be a surprise as I'd already seen the flower elsewhere and I was determined that I had to have one (same old story, LOL).

It's Cyrtosperma johnstonii. The spathe is a beautiful and unusual black.

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The leaves, particularly younger ones, have red veins.

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And the stems look great as well.

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Comments (12)

  • grabmebymyhandle
    11 years ago

    fun stuff, i love the thorny petiole, very reptilian...I really wish this plant more available in the states, the best I can find for one is about 30 bucks for a start in a 3 inch pot, that with reports of being finicky...oi...

  • tropicbreezent
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Grab, that one is cold sensitive. They're not all that common here and prices are a bit high for a plant that propagates readily. Some prices I've seen here were Au$20 for a 150mm pot, to Au$28 for a 200mm pot.

    Discussions (internet) I had with people in the US were a bit negative, they said if you put an ice cube in your mouth and breathed on the plant it would die. We've just come through our coldest recorded winter, my plant stopped growing and leaves looked a bit ratty. Average temp for June 2012 (coldest month) was 20.9C, and July 2012 was 22.8C. That should be easily achieved in a heated house in a US winter.

  • miketropic
    11 years ago

    our winter lows are more like -10c LOL I wish it stayed that warm but your right it would be possible in a greenhouse..I know someone who has that paticular plant and it is really nice, but there not comming off it any time soon and I don't have a place to keep it right now anyways.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Totally agree with the title of this discussion! Glad I looked.

  • tropicbreezent
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Mike, I sometimes think I really have no more room, but then I still end up buying more plants and then spend a lot of time trying to work out where they'll fit. I bought 4 palms the other day but there were still about 12 from previous purchases waiting for placement. Then there's all the other types of plants that have yet to find their little space.

    Thanks purple, they are a great plant.

  • greenlarry
    11 years ago

    What a fabulous plant!

  • lomodor
    11 years ago

    TB..why do you do this to me..LOL another plant i gotta
    try to grow.>>??? :)lol
    those pics are great man..
    i just sent you an email on other site..DG..
    do crytospermas need similar soil as tropical amorphs?
    i see some on ebay off and on..intrigued..you think someone
    could grow this in the house in winter..then outside in
    spring/summer/fall? in areas like where im at..??
    much thanks.
    btw??? how are your other amorphs doing???

  • tropicbreezent
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Larry, it is a great plant. The first time I saw one flowering I made an immediate decision to get one, no matter what.

    Dave, you're hopeless! You're nearly as bad as me, wanting just about every plant that's around. Check out Rachel on DG, she has one growing indoors in the US. She makes comments on my Lasia spinosa thread in the aroids forum (plus a lot of other threads). My amorphs are doing well, including the ones planted out in the ground. And the titanum went through a severe storm last weekend without any mishaps. There's a cyclone forming off the coast now but looks like going the other way. If we do get one later, that will be the real test for how well I've protected it.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Took more pics Monday of an amazing, huge Philo (to those of us not in the tropics) in bloom at a garden center nearby. First spotted it in January.

  • Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
    11 years ago

    Closer on the flower.

  • tropicbreezent
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Purple, I can hear warning bells ringing. You keep going back to that plant! I think you're in danger of making a rash decision, LOL.

    My C. johnstonii is flowering again, and producing a few pups.

  • aroideana
    10 years ago

    Easily grown in a tropical aquarium over winter for those climatically challenged. Nice one Zig

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