Amorphophallus paeoniifolius
elephant foot yam 25 - 100 seeds

A giant aroid that grows an enormous, single pinnate leaf on a thick, fleshy stalk from a huge, bowl-shaped tuber, about 30 cm (1 ft.) in diameter. When the leaf wilts in Winter or the dry season and the plant goes into dormancy, the tuber can be dug up and stored dry. Before a new leaf is produced, mature plants can sprout a giant, maroon inflorescence that is truly a spectacular sight, but emits a rather unpleasant smell. This giant aroid has been cultivated for centuries in the Indopacific region for the edible tuber and its native origins are obscured today.

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius, the Elephant Yam, is a fantastic perennial tropical Aroid native to the Asian tropics, from India to New Guinea and Northern ...

Amorphophallus paeoniifolius seeds should be planted as soon as possible after arrival because they lose viability quickly. The plant goes through cycles of vegetative growth, where a leaf will grow, die back, and grow again. Leaves can be divided into hundreds of leaflets and can grow up to 3 feet wide and 9 feet tall. Once the plant reaches maturity, some of the vegetative cycles will be replaced with flowering cycles. Instead of a large leaf, a single flower will emerge. Amorphophallus paeoniifolius have one of the largest flowers in the world, measuring up to 2 feet wide and 3 feet tall. The flowers of this plant mimic the odor of rotten flesh in order to attract flies for pollination. Each individual flower is either male or female, both sexes of flowers can be produced by one plant. They do best in well draining soil. A. paeoniifolius require frequent watering when they are actively growing, but prefer to be drier during dormancy. USDA hardiness zone 11-12.

Plant the seeds 1/4 inch deep in a well draining soil, keep them moist but bot soaking, around 75°F. Germination typically takes 1-8 weeks.

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