Ok, well I'll find a bigger deeper pot. I just like the wide bottom ones cause then the wind doesn't blow over the plant so easy. Probably stick that pot down in a clay one.
Have you thought about planting yours directly in the ground ?

I think about it every winter when I start worrying about protecting it from the cold, but it hasn't been bothered yet. My problem is anywhere I'd plant it, it would be amongst the goldurned oak tree roots, and there would probably be no rescuing it if I decided it was a bad idea. So . . we carry on in the same pot just refreshing the soil every second year (well, this year is the first time I did it) and moving any babies that appear.

I have two little ones like what I sent you, but Swayback seems to have gone astray and I was saving them for him. Anybody heard from him? I wrote him a Tree Mail a few days ago.

I finally I found the thread about the wormkiller on Aroid-L. I'll add 1/3 sand to my mix this year. Please let me know if the thread is viewable.

With some of the posts you need to expand by selecting +More to see the pertinent part. This is a sunny location plant, not a jungle plant.
http://www.aroid.org/aroidl-ar...

Hm, maybe sunny where you are, Evan, but it's pretty happy in my bright shade here. Interesting info on that thread, but it's really old . . . Tropiflora where I bought mine advised the bright shady location under my live oak tree, light soil and other than that it lives on what rain it gets *(sometimes a lot in summer) a sprinkle of timed release fert in April, and tolerates the cold without any fuss in winter. The bulb on mine is nearly 4in. across now.

On the soil mix, I sifted some of the leafy duff that's under the oaks and mixed it with regular potting mix, with some added perlite for drainage. It's in about a 3gal. pot. (well, its really a waste basket from IKEA, hey how can you beat $1.99 for a nice looking big pot that's lasted 3 years? )

Up here it definitely does well in full sun Elaine. What caught my eye is in it's native habitat it grows in a sunny location as well, Bolivia/Argentina. I grow mine in an Amorphophallus mix, bark/perlite/potting soil. Even though I cut off about 1/3 of the tuber this winter it's survived and is sprouting so I'm happy. I've been looking for the red spathe form but only see it occasionally in pics, never for sale. Have you seen it in your area?

I'm so glad you mentioned Tropiflora a few year ago. I bought Anchomanes difformis var. welwitschii from them and I couldn't be happier. Massive root systems!

Mines starting to grow pretty fast now. I've got it in a mix of soil, medium grade orchid bark, perlite and a bit of tree fern fiber thrown in. It's in an area where it get's shifting sun/dappled shade. Poor thing is probably going to get a complex as I watch it diligently since I've been so excited about growing it.

Down right chilly here this morning 55º

Bet it's smiling back. I'll stop grumbling to myself about cold nights. Is tree fern fiber something you purchase?

Evan,
Tree fern fiber, Yes I buy in in bulk from a company called Hicks Orchid supply in Orlando. I pick it up once or twice a year, in spring at the local Orchid Society show, and again in Fall at EFG's " Orchtoberfest " since they are literally 2 miles from me. ( that in and of itself is dangerous) I just call them and tell them how much I want and they bring it. I use it in the mix I make up for my Hoyas and Orchids mostly but have started adding it in with the Aroid mixes also.
Hicks doesn't have a website but if you call them they will mail you a catalog. There are other places to get it tho I'm sure.
Here's a company that sell's it. ( not necessarily recommending them,just an example) scroll down the page a bit. Comes in different grades.

http://www.tindaraorchids.com/...


Oh....I grumble any time it's below 60º........

Never seen the red spathe variety, Evan. I'll ask the Tropiflora guys - Dennis Cathcart will probably plan a trip to S. America to go find it . . . he lives to travel.

Tree fern fiber is from the trunks of tree ferns that have died. It's used as orchid medium, so you can get it from orchid specialists and suppliers online. It's readily available, but the tree ferns are getting scarce so it's not used as much any more - got expensive. Here's my 12ft. tree fern, and its base is what the material used for orchid mounts etc. looks like. Edited to add, Mj, are you using crushed tree fern? I had a stump of one that had died in my garden and cut it up into chunks for orchid mounts a few years ago.

...used to amend soil free mixes by enhancing drainage and aeration. A popular orchid potting medium, Tree Fern Fiber is resistant to decay and holds up well under moist, humid conditions.

Sounds good...pricey

This is what I mean by red spathe type.
http://www.aroid.org/genera/sp...

eclayne said:

This is what I mean by red spathe type.
http://www.aroid.org/genera/sp...

ohhhhh, I like....if you find it let me know ! I want one too !

eclayne said:

Sounds good...pricey

Evan, a little goes a long way....but that is why I buy it locally, no shipping charge.

I notice Alan Galloway has some pics of the red spathe type. He often sells tubers from his collection in the fall so will keep my eyes peeled. Reading the Tropiflora newsletter is a hoot. Those folks do get around. It's about time fora trip to one of my favorite local nurseries. They're about 50 miles north and always have some nice native plants. The owner grows a few orchids as well so I'll check for the fiber.

Mines in Carolina Clay with some compost and a little worm poo as well.

Oh, Tctch, arg, ahhh, I can't resist. You've trained your worms to poo on the wormkiller, Drew??

dyzzypyxxy said:Oh, Tctch, arg, ahhh, I can't resist. You've trained your worms to poo on the wormkiller, Drew??

dyzzypyxxy said:Never seen the red spathe variety, Evan. I'll ask the Tropiflora guys - Dennis Cathcart will probably plan a trip to S. America to go find it . . . he lives to travel.

Tree fern fiber is from the trunks of tree ferns that have died. It's used as orchid medium, so you can get it from orchid specialists and suppliers online. It's readily available, but the tree ferns are getting scarce so it's not used as much any more - got expensive. Here's my 12ft. tree fern, and its base is what the material used for orchid mounts etc. looks like. Edited to add, Mj, are you using crushed tree fern? I had a stump of one that had died in my garden and cut it up into chunks for orchid mounts a few years ago.

I think I got so excited about the red spathe form I missed this post.

I get the "Fine or Med" since I use it in with my Hoya mix also. A little bit really does go a long way, and when I root Hoya's I use it in with Fine Orchid bark and perlite. Then when I pot them up I just add some soil and they are good to go.

Elaine,
I'd kill to be able to grow those Tree Ferns here, but I'd probably have a nervous breakdown when it came to winter and my greenhouse isn't big enough for that guy.

Y'know, I think they're hardy to at least zone 8 although the database says 9b. I've seen them in gardens in Vancouver BC, but the one I'm thinking of is on the south side of my friends' house. Their climate is moderated by proximity to the sea, but they do get snow and some temps below freezing most winters. That being said, in Feb. 2010 when the Olympics were in Vancouver, it was colder here than it was there . . .

Here they grow under the tree canopy of the live oaks, which all by itself does give some protection. Mine's pretty big, obviously been there a good many years, and wasn't bothered by the two cold winters we had in '09 and '10.