Dracunculus Species, Dragon Arum, Dragon Flower, Black Lily, Viagra Lily, Voodoo Lily

On Jul 29, 2020, Jpelle from Oildale, CA wrote:

I have this all over my home in Madera, CA garden zone 9. It grows like crazy like calla lillies that what i thought it was. They stink so bad but they are beautiful. They grow in the beds all across the front and down the side of the house. I take a weed eater to them at about the end of spring. They come back every spring in bloom around Easter. I don't live in this house year round so nothing special is done there. It has a sprinkler sytem waters 3 times a week. They grow crazy tons of blooms so i don't understand why i look them up online i always only see 1 flower on peoples plants. The home was built in 1941 and i have no idea how long they been there but maybe a long time which why they bloom like crazy every year i don't know. I have giant deep red rose bushes with them so the comb... read moreination with the black is quite nice. They do stink my husband cut some and brought them in one time and i was like what is that awful smell so don't cut them for vases lol.

On Jul 20, 2017, Adi1968 from Lincolnshire,
United Kingdom wrote:

I have 16 of these dragon flowers and one has seeded it has a good head of seeds on it but not sure how to harvest them if anyone could help please I'm Browning mine in Boston Linc's there left out in all weathers and come up every year about 3- 4 ft tall only started off with 2bulbs now 16 plants

On May 26, 2015, sixxkiller from Sedro Woolley, WA wrote:

Hi
I am new to this plant I picked up a bulb that is just over 4 inches in diameter and I was told by the person I got the bulb from to start it out in a 12 inch pot and this was when winter comes I can move it indoors to my garage. I live in Washington State and I was hopoing that I could get some pointers on how to grow this bulb. Does anyone in Washington State growing this have any pointers for me? I really want to grow this flower right.
Thank you for any help that I can get.

On Dec 13, 2014, lafrenchkitty from bendigo,
Australia wrote:

I live in Australia, Victoria, Bendigo, my name is ann-maree. I have two boys nick & tom. Feel free to leave a message about this plant at
[email protected]
we have very cold winters -6 -4 some winters. Its gotten as low as -8.
As this plant is a tuber of sorts, it can withstand low temperatures, as I was informed it came from Japan where the ground freezes.
Anyway the tuber re emerges in early spring/summer. It grows a milky white stalk with darker splotches like a leopards.
Then when it gets big enough leaves develop they are large fan finger like leaves. When the tuber is over a couple of years old it usually begins to flower.
It does not flower separate to the leaves developing. The voodoo flo... read morewers develop from the Main stalk after the leaves have developed. It will look like a large rolled up leaf but the edges are black. This continues to grow until very large. My flower was over 2 foot in length. The entire plant was well over 6 foot. I have had one plant 8 foot.
The voodoo flower stinks for a few days & really attracts flies It smells like a dead rat. A very big dead rat.
It loves water & during this leaf growing flowering stage, it really needs loads of water, it also loves fertiliser & cow manure. This will increase plant growth.
After flowering has finished, usually start & middle of summer, the plant dies down & is dormant until next year.
Repotting would usually occur now, if needed.
This plant prefers shady areas to grow with lots of water but fairly good drainage.
I had one of my plants in the sun, it grew but not well & it seemed stressed out a bit. But its hot here in Australia I the summer. 45deg to 49 deg it has gotten.
So I moved the plant to the shade & it grew very large the next year & looked lush green & healthy.
So I deducted that it is a shade loving plant
I was also told this plant originated in Africa, but I was told it originated in Japan originally.
So I have heard conflicted stories of origin's.
I hope this help people.
I am also growing titans & many other lilies. Cobra, snake, just to name a few.
Dracularus vulgaris.
I would like to add if this plant is watered too much in winter it will rot. It grows fine in a pot. Also I put two newspapers over the tuber & a sheet of plastic in winter if we get -6 deg I would probably dig the tuber up over winter & replant in spring, if winters are below -4 deg just to be safe. As if cold & wet it may rot.

On May 27, 2013, nomibird from Gassville, AR wrote:

Here in northern Arkansas I have not had good success with these in full sun. However, in the shade of a tree they do very well. This year my main one is about 3.5 feet tall and the bloom is huge. At least, 2 feet of the plant. People may not like the smell, but our dog is in love with them.

On Mar 6, 2013, GunStreetGirl from Vancouver, WA wrote:

My boyfriend's mother has had these in her garden for years in Vancouver, Wa. Last year, after expressing interest, she gave me 20-30 bulbs and a few full flowers to transplant.

I am aware of the stench (considering it only lasts a day or two tops, I think it is worth it!) and I went a little crazy planting them everywhere in our front and back yards, also in Vancouver, Wa. I honestly didn't expect them to bloom this year considering the fact that I am somewhat new to flower gardening (I stick to veggie gardening) but low and behold it is early in March and they are already sprouting up. I am super excited, I have heard that they can go dormant for several years occasionally.

Side note, while driving through my neighborhood last year to see what everyone ... read moreelse is growing in their gardens, I came across another couple who grow voodoo lilies! I could hardly believe what a small world it was, and we struck up quite a long conversation about it, haha. She says that hers thrive with practically no effort.

It is such an interesting plant that I am glad to know that so many people appreciate it!

On May 23, 2012, seawoof from Federal Heights, CO wrote:

This plant came up under our cherry tree as a "volunteer" three years ago in the Denver, CO area. I had no idea what it was until I took a picture of it and took it to our gardening center this afternoon. So far, I haven't seen any seeds, because, more often than not, spring hail storms destroy the plant. This year, the unopened "pod" has grown to about 1.5 feet tall. I'm looking forward to monitoring its progress.

On Aug 29, 2011, Jane7 from Cadott, WI wrote:

Living in west-central Wisconsin (zone 4) I was advised by
my friend who gave it to me, that it most likely wouldn't
survive the winter....so I planted the bulbs in my garden, but
then dug them and stored them in a box and put them in a cool place in my house over the winter.
So, if you're interested in growing them in a cold area, this is
what I did: in the spring (approx. March), the bulb starts to grow...but because it is not planted in dirt outside, I simply put it in a basket or a pot without any dirt ( I crushed some
newspaper and slightly nestled the bulb in it so it wouldn't
tip over). However, the leaves did not grow 1st ...the bulb
sent up the flower shaft 1st and the blossom actually lasted
for quite a few days (r... read moreeally stinky for a couple days for in the
house). When the flower and shaft finally shrunk down, I was
able to plant the bulb in the garden (when the danger of frost was over) and then it sent up the leaf shaft and the leaves opened up in the garden like umbrellas. It was really fun,
because every year I had more little bulbs to plant...I had a
50 foot row of these little "umbrella" leafed plants ranging from 4 inches to over 2 feet high. Nobody could drive in the yard without stopping to try to figure out what they were!
A few years ago, I had dug the bulbs and had them brought into the garage, but I was in the hospital a lot in the fall and
winter and forgot to bring them into the house, so I lost them all. Now that I have found the name of these unique flowers, I will again order some and enjoy them as I did before.

On Apr 21, 2011, Dendros from Burham,
United Kingdom wrote:

The Dracunculus grows extremely well in my garden which is on chalk downland in kent. Despite the comparatively harsh winter we had last year it is already growing at a tremendous rate. My neighbour hates it due to the smell but she has a large garden and can afford to give up a couple of feet of air space :-).

On Mar 25, 2011, gloriousconfusion from London,
United Kingdom wrote:

I was given some black lily bulbs about fifty years ago by my mother-in-law, and they have come up every year since. I have given some to my children, who now grow them and possibly my grandchildren will grow them too, all from the same stock.

The leaves are attractive and the plants grow well in my shady border. They only flower for a few days in early summer, followed by a burst of colourful seeds, and then the whole plant wilts and dies. The fetid smell is outweighed by their beauty. They have weathered seriously cold winters without protection, except that they are near a wall.

On May 14, 2010, dham from Corinth, MS wrote:

You can now add Mississippi to your list of locations of where this plant grows. I discovered it in my flower bed last year. There was one plant then and I didn't know what in the world it was. This year there are about 15 new ones. The one that produced a flower this year I cut the flower off after it died and gave it to a co-worker to get the seed from. I think it is a very unusual and beautiful plant.

On Mar 9, 2010, Muguet from Sioux City, IA wrote:

Today, March 9, I noticed that my container-grown voodoo lily has started to emerge from dormancy in a dark closet. Should I bring it out into the light and begin watering? I cannot put it outside yet, as I live in northwest Iowa.

On Jun 7, 2009, congminglaoshi from Tuckahoe, NY wrote:

Cool flowers! I have had it for three years, first year I broke the foliage off fairly early (the stems are very brittle), but today it opened its first of two blooms. They are huge, stunning, and kind of freaky at the same time. I noticed a bad smell while having tea and doing my morning survey of the garden. Thought there was a dead animal somewhere among the flowers, until I reached the source--yeah it does stink. No attention needed, just be careful not to break the stems when working around it.

On Aug 17, 2008, Camie from Monrovia, CA wrote:

I am in Arcadia Canada. This plant came up one year when I started watering a yard that had very little water for a long time.

Thought it was from outer space!!

In hearing all of you not knowing what it is.............................

Actually it is a Calla Lily !! A Black Calla. I have had mine for 15 years, smelly but soo cool!

I thought it would make a nice bouquet for someone you don't like so much!! Then when stink day comes....=o)

Just thought you would like to know what it really is ! Have a great day! Flower Lovers!
=o)
Camie

On Feb 9, 2008, Crazy_for_plant from Montreal, MO wrote:

I just baught a "bulb" of this plant and havent tryed growing it yet but my neighbor had one and it did very well hear in southern missouri. She had it planted by her pond but the smell of it made her sick every time she went out and it was in bloom so she threw hers away(i told her that was a sin!) I am planning on doing mine in a container on our front porch (evil laugh) I have no problem with its scent and find it...well relaxing LOL I am so used to the sent of dead rotting meat that it does not bother me now. I work for the state picking up the dead animals off the sides of roads all day so thats why im use to it. Does anyone have any tips on growing this plant?

On May 29, 2007, kitten15 from Provo, UT wrote:

We bought our house this year and we found out that we have 2 of these beautiful flowers. They bloomed the week before June and they are so pretty. They do smell like rotting carp though, but its not that bad. They had some wierd looking beetles on it this morning. I'm very excited to have two plants in my front yard because there is only 2 claims to people having them in Utah so I guess that makes me the third.

On Nov 7, 2006, vans_06 from ACT,
Australia wrote:

My dad (recently pasted away) has plenty of these beautiful plants growing in his back yard. I have always been a fan, yep even of the smell!! I love summer, they bloom in spring and the smell would be a reminder that summer is on its way.

I want to plant some where I'm living now, possibly in a pot because I'm renting, and plant them in the ground when i have my own place. unlike my dad I am a novice.

On Apr 17, 2006, SmilingBlonde from Afton, TN wrote:

Last fall, I was able to get a start of this neat plant. Not knowing exactly what it was, I planted it close to my door in order to care for it first. Now that I have researched this amazing flower, I may need to move it. A neighbor's flowered last year, but I must have missed the smelling day. I am just fascinated with mine and hope it flowers this year. What is a common name for this plant? I live in eastern Tennessee and was told it was an 'old' plant.

On Sep 17, 2005, kennethB from Ogden, UT wrote:

This plant does very well in the SLC, Utah area. I have had it for over five years now. Bought it on a whim and have had more fun with it than should be allowed. It is a conversation piece in my garden and I have given many bulbs to friends. The tallest I have seen so far is under a meter. I grow it in low nutrient sandy soil and have had very good luck. The stock has been stout the leaves brilliant and the bloom has grown up to a foot in size with is usual pungent odor

On May 9, 2005, JaxFlaGardener from Jacksonville, FL (Zone 8b) wrote:

This is my first year of having D. vulgaris. I planted the bulbs last Fall as part of a catalog order purchase, mostly just to have something "exotic." The smell is BAD, as described here like a rotting dead rat. If you happen to be down wind of it within about 25 ft, the smell will just about drive you out of the garden! The plant is such a successful mimic of this smell that it looked like every fly of every variety in my neighborhood was attracted to it. At the height of its flowering yesterday, I looked down into the bulbous cup below the spadix and saw a few dozen flies in a frantic swarm involved in what appeared to be an effort to eat away at the waxy light green base of the dark purple (nearly black) spadix. Turning on the water sprinklers around the plant seemed to help su... read moreppress the odor.

I've decided, as others here have stated, that the brief, very dramatic bloom is worth a day of stench. I do, however, intend to move it away from my front door and find a more isolated spot in my garden where it can bloom without being so nauseating and hopefully multiply.

On Jun 23, 2004, jesseela from Walla Walla, OR wrote:

This plant grows in my back yard, and my parents and sister have one as well. The plant is as described, very beautiful and quite smelly. Ours has acquired more blooms with each successive year...this year we counted 42! The plant has survived extreme heat and cold (Walla Walla, Washington). We noticed that one came up on its own in another part of our yard this Spring.

On Jun 12, 2004, CatskillKarma from West Kill, NY wrote:

I have this plant growing in my Catskill mountain garden in the cold end of zone 5, bordering on zone 4. It is growing in shade under a Serbian spruce (acid soil) with a light pine bark mulch. I planted three bulbs from a commercial source, and two have thrived. One did not sprout. It showed no hardiness problems in last winter's unusually cold conditions (several nights below -20F). It is currently blooming, and smells bad, but does not smell strong. It is weird and dramatic and quite different from the native jack-in-the-pulpits I have.

On Jun 6, 2004, spacy532 from Pendleton, OR wrote:

I have not done anything to maintain this plant. It is beautiful and it smells horrible in the heat of the sun. I live in Pendleton Oregon and it is hidden behind another bush and is about 3 feet tall. The plant emits a smell reminiscent of a natural glass leak.

On Jun 3, 2004, zoprano from Upland, CA wrote:

We had just moved into our home last fall and had no idea what was coming up on our hill so found this site. We live in a foothill community at 1860 feet elevation and 40 miles East of Los Angeles. This is a very unique plant with beautiful foliage and a striking flower. It only smelled the first day it opened and was similar to a dead rat odor. The plant receives part-shade, moderate water and appears to be fairly hardy.

On Mar 15, 2004, cathees_ from Agoura Hills, CA wrote:

Found this plant in my garden in Burbank, CA in 1972. When I moved, I took the bulbs with me and now have 3 small groves going in Agoura Hills, CA. Grows quickly in spring until flower bud comes out; then leaves wither back a bit. One day when the sun hits the bud, it will open and smell like the dead! The odor draws flies, bugs, etc. for one day, then stays pretty (purple velvety lining with shiny black stem in the middle) for 2-3 more days before dying back. I've had the green-to-orange seed pod develop in the dead blossom, but had no success in figuring out what to do with it. Bulbs seem to multiply in the ground and I separate them out every few years to get more blossoms.

Surprise Lily (my name for it---the surprise is the SMELL) likes morning sun, then shade. ... read more Too much hot sun withers leaves. Delighted to find other Surprise Lily owners!

On Jun 23, 2003, _luckyducky1956 from Camas, WA wrote:

I found this plant growing at my mother in law's. It had been left behind by her neighbor. I thought it was interesting, so I dug the whole plant out, bulb and all, with permission. I planted it in my yard, and it's surviving just fine. When it bloomed, the sun was hot and the smell was terrible, but worth the beauty of the bloom, as long as it's not next to your window. =o)

On Jun 1, 2003, AspiringArtist from Kerrville, TX wrote:

This plant appeared in my garden a few years ago, and it was a complete surprise, as I never planted it. I was TERRIFIED of it at first, and crept up close enough to get a good photo to take to my local nursery for identification. Once I knew it was harmless, I got closer for a better look. What a fascinating plant! It puts out an odor that is exactly like decomposing meat or a dead animal that is over-ripe ... very nauseating. That "scent" attracts every manner of bee and fly you can imagine, and they dive deep into the plant. The odor lasts for several hours, but the bloom --- which looks like maroon velvet --- lasts a couple of days. It has bloomed every year for 3 years without my doing anything at all. Amazing plant!

On Jul 1, 2002, Robinl8291 wrote:

I live in Ione, Oregon; high desert with alkaline soil.
My House is 100 yrs old; next to the north window, this plant thrives. It is approx. 4' tall and 3' at the base, (some Lily of the Valley surround the base.)

It always blooms around the First of June, and toward the last of June it starts dying back and forming seed pods that turn orange-red (like Arum italicum). I have tried to start it from seed pods to no avail, the plant also seems to have a bulb, but I haven't been able to transplant either. There aren't any other plants like it in town.

The flower is beautiful, but it stinks really badly - never try to bring it into your house. This plant get full morning sun, but from noon on it gets shade. It likes some water, but survived many ye... read morears with very little. It has survived several extreme cold winters, even some sub zero for a month at a time.