Amorphophallus konjac... or i'm just happy to see you.

[likespaphs]

so i've got this Amorphophallus konjac that i got from a friend of my mom's and it'd been growing until earlier this month when the leaf started to die off, prematurely, in my opinion. it took me a while to notice why but i've been seeing this. it's been growing four to six inches a day! i've heard that the inflorescence will be five to seven feet tall when it blooms and will stink! yippee!
of course, the university where i work is closed for the christmas break so i'll be one of the few to see it.....
i've tried to put these in order from thursday to today. each piece of yellow tape on the bamboo is one foot (about 30.5 cm)...

 

[Heather]

Hmmm, proof. Thanks. Apparently you weren't just dreaming that extra 6" of yours. :evil:

 

[likespaphs]

six inches a day!

 

[philoserenus]

+1 to that... 6" a day... my goodness... talk about growth spurts and GH, haha!

 

[Heather]

six inches a day!

impressive....

 

[Candace]

I think that after it opens you should set up a video camera and bring people in-not telling them about it. See how many folks check the bottom of their shoes or make faces.

 

[goldenrose]

impressive....

I'll go along with that!:clap:

 

[likespaphs]

neato! a guy from the a.v. department is setting up a time-lapse camera and light! i think it only grows overnight...

 

[SlipperFan]

I love the way these things unfurl.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

Wow! I have a konjac growing in my backyard. Comes up every year, but no blooms.......well, there's always next year................Take care, Eric

 

[likespaphs]

okay, so to continue with this thing. the inflorescence didn't seem to grow last night, i don't know if it was because there was a bright light for the camera on it all night. the spadix turned kinda blood red overnight...

the whole thing:

it kinda looks like it's starting to open...

this is the most accurate color representation i could get

 

[NYEric]

I can't believe people have these personally. I've heard the smell will drive people away no matter how BIG it gets! :evil:

 

[likespaphs]

here we go again...

it grew several inches last night.

closeup of where the spadix emerges from the spathe

closeup of what might be pollen...

tried this close to get the color.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

All the Asian jelly candies I like are made from this plant..............Eric

 

[NYEric]

Really?!?!

 

[likespaphs]

yup.

new photos later. it's starting to open. no stink yet though...

 

[likespaphs]

it's starting to open!
still no stink yet but i'm imagining it'll start soon....

 

[goldenrose]

Neat - thanks for the continued updates!

 

[SlipperFan]

I didn't realize it was such a large plant. Nice job.

 

[Eric Muehlbauer]

This is going to be in my yard someday? And yes, Eric,.....all those jelly cups in the Asian markets say "konjac jelly"....and this is the konjac! Eric