Amorphophallus konjac
Umbrella arum, Konjac, Konjac snake palm, Devil's tongue
Also known as Amorphophallus rivieri
- Height × spread
- 2m × 0.5m
- Position
- Part shade
- Hardiness
- Mild winter to -5C (RHS H3)
- Flowers
- Spring
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
This is a very large plant when in flower. This 'feature' can top two metres in height and is awesome and sinister. It consists of a column that opens to a vase shape, from which arises a purplish column that is called a spadix. Within, it has the colour of rotted meat. The outer skin like surface is mottled green and yellowish. The smell is unseemly since it seeks to attract flies to pollinate it. The plant produces a large three part leaf and the whole grows from a corm. This needs to be kept just moist in winter, not waterlogged.
- Flower colour
- Green, Purple, Red, Yellow
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Cone
- Height
- 2m
- Spread
- 0.5m
- Flowers in
- Spring
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Exotic garden, Conservatory
- Sun or shade
- Likes part shade, tolerates light shade
- Soil type
- Loam (normal)
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Damp and wet soil
- Hardiness
- Mild winter to -5C (RHS H3)
- Borders & containers
- Borders and containers
- Hazards
- Yes, potentially harmful; Humans: Harmful if eaten; skin & eye irritant
AutumnNow
Autumn - mid · Planting
Divide while dormant
Clumps of bulbs, corms or rhizomes can be divided when the plant is dormant. The divided bulbs or corms can immediately be replanted at a little distance from each other, or moved to other locations.
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Feed a general fertiliser
Give a general purpose feed two or three times during the growing season, preferably not within a month of its end so the plant isn't encouraged to make fresh young growth.
Where food elements are listed as three numeric values on the label representing in order Nitrogen(N)-Phosphorus(P)-Potassium(K), with percentage values for each, choose one where the values are more or less equal.
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water during dry periods
For plants in the ground, when there has been little or no rain for a period of 7-10 days and the soil is dry, give it a deep watering and repeat weekly until there is a downpour of rain. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Winter
Winter · Outdoors
Water lightly during dormancy
The soil should be kept just moist during the plant's rest period.