Arisaemas

18 years ago

Hi, everyone. I lurk on this forum occasionally and have been reading and viewing pictures of the arisaemas and the alocasia/colocasias. My question is this. How long does it take for an arisaema to mature. Last year I purchased 2 small bulbs from Wayside (I know, I know, bad choice, but triphylum was on sale for like $2.00). This was late in the spring, around May (that's late in Oklahoma). I planted the bulbs and they sprouted one leaf each, and went dormant early to mid-summer. They did not come up this spring. However, I'm a "cup half full" person, so I'm thinking maybe they're down there somewhere still working on their root systems.

This spring I purchased A. nepenthoides from Heronswood. It came potted up (2") with one leaf on it. I promptly planted it and amended my clay soil with peat moss, cow manure, and compost. The leaf has gone dormant since then; it's been in the ground for almost 3 months.

What can I anticipate from these plants? Two leaves maybe next year? What are the odds that they will they come back next year? How mature do they have to be to flower?

I appreciate any and all answers.

BTW, I do grow Alocasia wentii, upright EE, regular EE, Black Magie EE (taro), and hitchhiker EE, which are all aroids, too.

I like the aroids, but I am still not ready to tackle the amorphophalus group yet.

Susan

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Comments (3)

plantfreak
18 years ago
Dear Susan,

Arisaemas are fairy forgiving when well established. For instance, if you accidently cut one down early in its growth, it probably would come back the next year OK. However, by the descriptions you give, I'd say your plants are doing quite poorly. The first batch from Wayside is gone no doubt, and the one from Heronswood sounds like it may show again next year.

I personally would put no cow manure on these. Most species like to be perennially moist, but also have good drainage. Furthermore any decent "woods type soil" should do fine, to wit, a loamy soil with a reasonalbe amount of organic matter. No sun with these, they like bright shade to even fairly deep shade.

Good luck. PF
kwoods
18 years ago
I'd say PF is dead on in saying "Most species like to be perennially moist, but also have good drainage".

Most of mine only want moisture when soil temps warm up and they come out of dormancy. While actively growing they can take lots of watering and moisture. While dormant they like to be very dry with very sharp drainege. They do not like compacted or clay soils, they like open airy, loamy soil that retains moisture but drains well.

triphyllum is slightly different in that it is very forgiving and can take a much more moisture retentive soil and would rather not dry out completely for too long.

I have had jacks "flower" three years from seed. If they have a "good" year they will reward you the following year. If they have a "bad" year they may store energy by staying dormant or putting up a single leaf the next year.

Good luck!
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susanlynne48
Original Author
18 years ago
Thank you so much for the replies, and I will keep you posted. I only use a tiny bit of manure, mostly peat moss, compost, and some of my own garden dirt. I think the drainage is pretty good, as I am growing hostas, petasites, cimicifuga, arum maculata, Japanese Painted Fern, in the same bed. I have, on the other hand, had plants show up a couple of years or even three years after I planted them and thought they were dead. Who really knows with mother nature. Every year is a new experience.

Thanks again,

Susan

Arisaemas

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plantfreak

kwoods

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