Corpse Flower Amorphophallus kiusianus

The voodoo lily is native to China, Japan, and Taiwan, found growing in semi-shaded to exposed plantations, secondary forests, and mixed bamboo and broad-leaved forests. It is a member of the arum family (Araceae).

The voodoo lily is one of the hardiest of the Amorphophallus species and is fairly easy to grow. Plant the corm in moist, organic, well-drained soil, approximately 4” deep in late winter or very early spring. The corm must be well below the soil surface, to support the leaf and flower. It requires minimal fertilizer, once a month or less, and will tolerate occasional overwatering, and occasional neglect. The health of the plant is determined by the increase in the size of the corm. If grown in a container, the container needs to be at least twice the diameter of the corm, and very deep to support the corm and root growth. If the container is not deep enough, the corm will become deformed and lie in the excess water, causing rot. The corm may be lifted during dormancy and stored dry. The voodoo lily produces offsets (cormels) on the corm that may be replanted. Seeds may be sown in a moist seed-starting mix. Keep the temperature in the mid-70’s and the soil moist. Be patient, as seedlings may take 6 months or more to germinate.

The voodoo lily emerges in spring with a single, dirty olive-green-and-white speckled flower stalk, producing a green-and-white speckled vase-shaped spathe that surrounds a purple-tipped, spear-shaped spadix. Inside the spathe are warts that attract insects for pollination. After resting for a year, a single 4-foot tall, green-and-white speckled petiole with a 3-foot-wide umbrella-shaped leaf with multiple leaflets emerges. The leaf may die back when the temperature rises to the high 70 degrees F. After the plant matures, its resting period may decrease to as little as a month before producing the leaf.

Though they have both male and female flowers, voodoo lilies cannot self-pollinate. The flowers are open for only a single day, announced by a scent sometimes described as “decaying flesh” or “roadkill” that attracts its pollinators. The female flowers become receptive first. Once inside the chamber formed by the spathe, the insects, carrying pollen from another plant, pollinate the female flowers. The insects remain in the inflorescence overnight, during which time the male flowers open and release pollen. The next day, the insects emerge covered with pollen and fly away to find another inflorescence. The pollinated flowers then develop densely clustered, colorful berries that ripen from bright pink to blue.

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems:  Nematodes and root mealy bugs can affect the plant.

More information on Amorphophallus.