The Voodoo Lily is an unusual plant known for its striking, exotic appearance and a dramatic flowering cycle. Its bizarre nature has earned it evocative nicknames like Devil’s Tongue and Snake Palm. The plant’s lifecycle is marked by a sudden, enormous bloom that appears before any foliage. This unique growth pattern and method of attracting pollinators make the Voodoo Lily a fascinating subject for gardeners.
Botanical Identity and Physical Description
The Voodoo Lily belongs to the Arum family (Araceae), and the name is applied to species like Amorphophallus konjac and Sauromatum venosum. Amorphophallus konjac is native to China and Japan, where it produces a large, starchy underground corm that can grow up to a foot in diameter. This corm serves as the plant’s food storage organ, allowing it to survive its annual dormancy period.
The plant’s vegetative structure consists of a single, highly divided leaf that emerges after the bloom fades. This leaf is supported by a tall, thick petiole, or stem, mottled with green and purplish-brown splotches, giving it a serpentine appearance. The massive leaf blade can reach up to four feet across, giving the plant an umbrella-like shape. The flower structure is an inflorescence composed of a spathe and a spadix, which appears before the leaf once the corm has stored enough energy.
The Unique Flowering Cycle and Odor
The Voodoo Lily’s notoriety stems from its short-lived, pungent bloom, which lasts only 24 to 48 hours. The inflorescence consists of a large, ruffled spathe—a modified leaf—that wraps around the central spike, the spadix, which can reach several feet in height. This structure is dark maroon or purple-brown, resembling decaying flesh, a strategy used to attract specific pollinators.
During the bloom, the plant actively raises its own temperature in a process known as thermogenesis. This heating, generated by the spadix, can raise the temperature of the bloom up to 32°C above the ambient air temperature. The heat helps to volatilize foul-smelling chemical compounds, such as putrescine and cadaverine, into the air. This powerful, carrion-like odor mimics rotting meat, successfully attracting insects like carrion flies and beetles, which are the plant’s primary pollinators. The female flowers become receptive first, and the trapped insects transfer pollen before being dusted with new pollen from the male flowers on the second day.
Cultivation and Home Care Requirements
Growing a Voodoo Lily successfully requires understanding its unusual growth and dormancy cycles. The plant grows from its corm in the spring, first producing the flower if mature enough, followed by the single, massive leaf. During the active growing season, the plant thrives in moist, humus-rich, well-draining soil and prefers bright, indirect light or partial shade to prevent scorching.
The corm needs warm conditions during the growing period, ideally between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Consistent watering and monthly fertilization with a balanced or phosphate-rich fertilizer are necessary while the leaf is actively growing. In late summer or fall, the foliage naturally yellows and dies back, signaling the beginning of the dormancy period. During this resting phase, all watering and fertilization must stop, and the corm can be stored dry indoors at a cool, frost-free temperature until spring.
Safety and Handling Considerations
All parts of the Voodoo Lily plant are considered moderately toxic if ingested, a safety concern shared by many members of the Arum family. The plant contains insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which are microscopic, needle-shaped structures. If chewed, these crystals cause immediate, intense irritation and a burning sensation in the mouth, tongue, and throat. Ingestion can also lead to gastrointestinal discomfort, vomiting, and diarrhea. It is advisable to wear gloves when handling the plant to prevent skin irritation, and it should be kept out of reach of pets and small children.