so...
i went to a big eeb (ecology and evolutionary biology) greenhouse at a university nearby and was blessed, so to speak, with some A bulbifer bulbs.
i was hoping to plant these up, but can't figure out which way is up to plant them. there is a rounded side and the other side has a scar where it was on the leaf, though one looks like it's where the plant will start.
anyone have any ideas as to how to plant it?

Any way you could post a picture of the bulb?

i could, but i ain't gonna...
:Yuck:

i mean, sure...
one side, then the other
lines are in cm...
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/bleibume/Amorphophallusbulbiferbulb.jpg http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b277/bleibume/Amorphophallusbulbiferbulbs.jpg

i'm not sure whether to put them aside or to plant them. i think they go scar side up...

Brian
First I thought you are joking (cause it looks like some kind of fruit that we ate in the old country. Except in this case it looks like you left the fruit out in mud for years.
Out of curiosity I type the name you provide on google image, the last picture on the lower right corner kind of show the plant grows straight up from the scar, and all of the roots came out of there to. And it seems to imply that the scar side is up.

Out of curiosity I type the name you provide on google image, the last picture on the lower right corner kind of show the plant grows straight up from the scar, and all of the roots came out of there to. And it seems to imply that the scar side is up.

Yup, Hien is correct, scar side up!

I let mine sit around all winter in a paper bag and then pot them in the early spring. They're usually showing some growth on the top side by then.

thanks for the info. i thought they went scar up, but every now and then i do something incredibly stupid....don't tell anyone, though. okay?
paper bag, eh? that could get inadvertently thrown away 'round here...

Well, I also put the paper bag in one of a couple of shoeboxes holding similar paper bags containing other aroids. You just need to get a bunch more plants :)


And label the shoe boxes.

thanks for the info. i thought they went scar up, but every now and then i do something incredibly stupid....don't tell anyone, though. okay?
paper bag, eh? that could get inadvertently thrown away 'round here...

That is clearly a potato. You boil it and eat it! ;)

Well, since you brought it up, some species are grown as food. Imagine a field of them in bloom! Bulbifer is nice but the culinary ones, not so floral. The thing I love about bulbifer is it forms its taters (precious) on top of the leaf! Common North American jack-in-the-pulpit can be eaten too after special treatment. One of its common names is Indian turnip. If I ever decide to give up orchids I'll still be growing aroids. :D

Common North American jack-in-the-pulpit can be eaten too after special treatment.

Oh please do elaborate on this *special treatment* :p

I always thought the native Jack in the pulpits were poisonous to humans.:confused:

I always thought the native Jack in the pulpits were poisonous to humans.:confused:

Maybe the special treatment is for the person eating it? Like an antidote maybe....:confused:

Maybe the special treatment is for the person eating it? Like an antidote maybe....:confused:

I Googled it and came up with quite a few interesting info including a contraceptive method (folklore) for women.

Link 1 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arisaema_triphyllum)

Link 2 (http://www.altnature.com/gallery/Jackinpulpit.htm)

LOL...permanent sterility...I guess that would be a form of contraception!

You two should consider starting a Vaudeville act. I hear it's making a comback? :rolleyes:

I seem to remember the method of making them edible involves a lot of soaking to remove the substances that make it poisonous. I've got quite a few of them so maybe some time I'll try it. Cypripedium roots are supposed to make a "nerve tonic" so maybe I'll nibble on some of them, too.

Meanwhile, here is an older article about elephant foot yam, an edible Amorphophallus.

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/seta/2002/07/11/stories/2002071100100300.htm

Woohooo dinner at Mark's! Look at all the wonderful side dishes he will prepare. What's the main course? Japanese style puffer fish? ;)