OK, it's not really water. Or even a liquid compound for that matter. It's Arisaema tortuosum and it actually does need a lot of water when I put it in such a small pot. Dumb move but I make it every year. I just had to post this as a vain attempt to recover my pride after seeing Super-Reginae [cue heroic music] I have several other representatives of this genus including two North American natives that I'll post when a few more have flowered.

The plant is 63" from the top of the medium to the tip of the spadix (or "that rude bit" as my friend, David would call it) Sorry about the lighting and ugly aluminum siding. :rolleyes:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a114/ShadyCharacter/arisaematortuosum.jpg

It is quite an attractive plant. Is it related to Jack in the pulpits?

Hey Shady...Interesting looking plant. I also do see the jack in the plupit resemblance, especiallly the pitcher like thing on the very top.

I can see why you would have to water often!

Thanks

Very cool plant! And I assume "that rude bit" is the bloom? :poke: I think I have heard these called Cobra Lilies?

Yup, Peter. Same genus as Jack-in-the-Pulpit. This one is native to the Himalayas. It's a genus in the aroid family as is Amorphophallus and some familiar plants like calla lilies, caladium and philodendron. I like growing them because I can have something exotic and interesting all summer that only needs to be stored as a dormant tuber in the basement all winter.

That is the bloom up top. The flowers in the aroid family are composed of a spadix which is has the male and/or female flowers at its base wrapped in a spathe. They can take on some pretty weird variations of that. In previous years this one has opened its leaves farther at this point and sort of resembled a dancing crane.

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the info! I had no idea Calla Lilies were also related but now I can see why.

Was scared of the flowers when I was a kid!! (serious)
Now, if Shady can grow, flower & keep them in the basement, then why am I still hesitant???

Mang... why were you afraid of the flowers when you were a kid?

Mang... why were you afraid of the flowers when you were a kid?
..just some vague recollection and mental association that goes something like: -
flower = snake = cobra = danger! (kinda silly!)

That's a huge one Mark!

The native Jack in the Pulpits that I find growing here in the Maine woods are small about a foot tall or so but there was one I found that was 6 feet tall and it was a giant! Here is a photo from last spring.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d38/paphraguy/jack.jpg
You can see the little normal sized ones growing around the giant plant.

YIKES :shock: I have never seen such a big before...I saw a few small ones just last month on a nature trail...thnx.

That is so awesome! I would love to see one of these in the wild. I'm going on a trail ride Friday and I'll bring my camera, but I don't know if I'll get to do much picture taking...I'll have to consult my horse first. :poke:

That's a cool picture, Pete. It looks like it jumped out of the ground shouting "Booga Booga Booga!!!"

It looks like it jumped out of the ground shouting "Booga Booga Booga!!!"

I hate it when that happens! :shock: