Titan Arum about to bloom at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne March 10-13

[simhanada]

From http://www.rbg.vic.gov.au/news/titan-arum-to-bloom-again

(website has pics of the progress)

TITAN ARUM TO BLOOM AGAIN!

The Nursery team at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne has done it again with a rare Amorphophallus titanum (Titan Arum) anticipated to flower next week.

This will be the third bloom in three years for the Gardens and the second time this particular plant has bloomed.

Also known as Titan Arum, Corpse Flower, or Bunga Bangkai, the Amorphophallus titanum is the world’s largest cluster of flowers. It is widely known for its smell which is likened to rotting flesh. This notoriously powerful fragrance is released when the bloom opens.

This particular Titan Arum (the Gardens has three) previously flowered in January 2013. Its current growth rate is 5-10cm per day (on average).

The Nursery team estimates that the plant will reach up to 2m high and will be in full bloom sometime between 10 – 13 March. The inflorescence (cluster of flowers) will last only two to three days before collapsing.

See the Titan Arum in the Tropical Glasshouse at the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne (Enter via Gate E on Birdwood Ave).

[obtuse]

It looks awesome already, pretty happy to have been able to see it as is. Hopefully will get to see it in full flower Some time.

[zed240]

Pretty cool. One day I'll go see it.

A little of topic.... I find it interesting that when you click on the picture with the 2 guys lowering the tuber into the pot it says "The tuber was placed on a bed of broken terracotta tiles (which help with drainage)". I thought it had been pretty well proven that the whole rocks at the bottom of a pot for drainage thing whilst a well perpetuated practice it had been proven that it's unnecessary and that it does not increase drainage at all anyway.

[franky]

I would assume the lower half of the whole pot would be broken tiles, not just a layer?

[zed240]

I would assume the lower half of the whole pot would be broken tiles, not just a layer?

If that's the case according to what I've read they may as well have just used a shallower pot and filled it completely with dirt.

[franky]

Shallower pots hold more water than taller narrower pots, maybe they are aiming for the majority of water although not a lot to e held within the more air filled terracotta layer? I'm not too sure too be honest