PlantFiles: Devil's Tongue, Snake Plant, Konjac, Konnyaku Potato, Voodoo Lily
Amorphophallus rivieri

My family has grown Hydrosme Riveiri for many years. Several have had bulbs that fit snuggly in 5 gal. pails when they began their bloom cycle indoors in winter. I have 5 large bulbs 8 to 10 years old each. My oldest bulb, 14 years old has not yet sent up its summer growth and I have some doubt it will for it threw a double bloom this past winter. History of the line my family has indicates that when a bulb throws a double, it is its last hurrah so to speak.

One funny occurrence happened in back in 1956 when we donated an 8-years old bulb to the Dayton Museum of Natural History as it was beginning its winter bloom cycle. They were warned that the bloom would have an odor when it opened so they found a suitable location in the room in which they housed their live animals. However, the day it did, the director opened up in the morning as usual and then spent the next 20 to 30 minutes checking for dead animals that the others had missed for a few days.

These interesting bulbs are a conversation piece to those walking past our home as we have some in a bed next to our front porch and others in planters on the side of the steps.

I'm relatively new to the gardening world, and am more full of questions than answers. I bought a house two years ago and was given several plants when I moved in. Being very busy at the time I randomly planted them around the yard. Well this year I have a bloom forming that I believe is the Voodoo Lily Amorphophallus rivieri. I've attached the first picture I just took and will add more as it developes. If anybody can confirm that this is this plant, I would appreciate it greatly. And secondly, are there any specific precautions I should take in moving the plant? Do they have long roots?

I have planted this plant for over 10 years. It is fascinating to watch it grow. I plant them very close together in my flower bed or in pots on the deck. I dig them up in the fall and plant them in May/June. I have 4 big bulbs that bloom in the winter. Very pretty flower, but it really stinks. I just cover it with a plastic bag. A friend leaves his plants out all winter, but they are planted up close to his basement. His plant will bloom in May and then it grows the folage. I have a bulb that will fill a 5 gallon bucket. I have measured this plant growing and it will grow an inch a day, sometimes more.They are fun to watch grow. They also multiply I have had up to 80 bulbs at one time. I have pictures if you are interested in seeing them. Just let me know. Easy to grow, Needs no special care or watering. Plant and forget it. Thanks for letting me share this with you. Carol

i have heard about these before. i would love to know where i could buy one or the seeds. thank you yabedog. e mail jerconn66@aol.com

Last spring we had one of these growing on a side table in the dining room. One day my son and I came home for lunch and I smelled a disgusting odour as soon as we sat down to eat. Naturally, I blamed the little guy and started reprimanding him for making stinks at the table. He insisted that he didn't have to go, and that the stink was not coming from him! Then we noticed the plant. The voodoo lily had bloomed and was the source of the offending stench! Of course I appologized to my son and we took the stinky thing to the school for show-and-tell. The kids loved it! Everyone made faces and "Eew! Gross!" comments then came back giggling for more. The teachers looked it up on the internet and integrated it into their lessons. I planted it later, and it grew into the palm tree shaped plant but it died while we were on vacation. Yesterday I bought a new one, and one for my sister. They must be quite popular here because I have been visiting the store weekly looking for them and still took the last two voodoos on the shelf!

Potted can be sunken into a water garden or bulbs can be planted directly into the soil. They are very frost sensitive, and should be lifted dried and stored during the winter. Even if grown in a tropical climate they will enter a dormant phase.

Grown as a food crop in parts of the world; leaf stalk is mottled pink with green, very beautiful unusual foliage. Mature tubers can weigh up to 50 lbs.

Konjac is the easiest of all the amorphaphallus species to grow for novices, and usually stays at a manageable height. As with many of the arum species, the flowers have a very disagreeable odor to attract pollinating flies.