As of today I am still unpotting Amorphs and the like that are gradually going dormant. I would venture to say about 75% of the collection is now stored in paper bags while the remaining species are still growing in the greenhouse. I even have some species putting out new leaves! That is a first for me to have plants this late in the season still leafing out. Usually by this time things are starting to look ragged and the plant is showing its imminent dormancy with yellowing leaf tips and drying petioles. However in my operculatus in particular there are two new spikes forming and fresh new leaves pushing out. Amorphophallus sylvaticus just came out of dormancy and is in full leaf. An Amorphophallus albispathus clone has gone crazy all season and has apparently gotten a second wind as it also is putting out two new spikes. I don’t tend to argue with them and allow them to grow as big as they want. The more leaves they grow the bigger the tuber harvest will be whenever it comes. I managed to take a group photo of the collection so far sitting nice and dry waiting for early spring.
Group photo of most of the dormant collection. It was a pretty good year overall.
I store the smaller tubers in little craft boxes to keep them organized.
Is it just me or do I have a lot off potting ahead of me? I always end up with more plants than the year previous, partly from tubers dividing and offsetting and partly because of fall sales on eBay. Ebay, my nemesis, is also my best tool for finding plant material you are unlikely to find anywhere else.
A group of newly acquired tubers from well know collector Alan Galloway.
Fellow collectors and enthusiasts often sell their extra material on eBay, mostly I presume to pay for the addiction that I share with them. In some cases you can find outstanding steals and deals, other times you would be shocked for what a single tuber can bring. It takes patience or deep pockets or both to add to your collection as there are hundreds of species and new ones being discovered fairly often. Also be cautious as to what and from whom you buy, there are lots of people that sell tubers on eBay. Most people are well meaning and sell correctly identified plants. There are the few that through ignorance or deliberate deception sell common species under a rare moniker. I guess the old sayings hold true, ” You get what you pay for.” and “If it seems too good to be true it probably is.”. Enjoy!
