Now that the summers are getting drier and hotter, we will be spending far more time in the shade...so it is time to dress it up! To help you create a tropical, exotic flare in either your garden or in your pots on the patio, this plant is a great choice. The best part about this Voodoo lily is that it can take a little or a lot of shade, depending on where you want it. This tall plant has umbrella-like foliage that is perched on a long speckled stem which enables you to plant beneath it. It is recommended that you start them inside around March to have foliage for June. Ironically enough, this tropical splendor is quite drought tolerant, so if you have a pot in that dark corner that is hard to reach with the watering wand, this is the perfect candidate. Now, this does not mean no water at all, it simply means that you don’t have to fuss over it, water would be nice. Some may argue over its drought tolerance, but I tend to neglect mine more than I would like to and they are great; they just keep on looking fantastic.  Although an interesting addition, there is one small thing that you should be forewarned about…the stench of the blossom. Some people feel this is the best part because of the theory behind it. This particular bloom attracts flies to pollinate it and in order to attract the flies, it has to pretend to be rotting meat, or at least smell like it. So, an exotic bloom that smells like rot. Nice. This only lasts for a few days and then it dies back to allow the foliage to emerge. For the amount of beauty this plant provides, it is definitely worth the small amount of discomfort.
In the fall, before the frost hits, just cut back the leaves to about one inch and gently remove them from the ground or their pots. Caution should be used if you want to try and save the small corms that grow off the sides of the mother corm. All can be saved by separating them from each other and allowing them to dry on newspaper for a few days. Once dry, place in a cardboard box or paper bag with peat moss to cover the corms. Every year each mother corm will produce up to 12 small cormlets, and in no time you will be begging your friends and family to take some to try. They will either love you or resent you, hopefully not the latter.
Happy blossoming...actually, on second thought, happy foliage!
Written by: Dianna Dawson 2008 |
