This very special plant comes from the tropical island of Borneo in Indonesia. Deep in the dense rain forests you can find the illustrious species Amorphophallus borneensis. This species also has exceptionally large flowers, just like its related species. For several years, Amorphophallus borneensis will develop a single leaf that can grow to more than one meter. When the plant has collected enough nutrients, it will flower in a spectacular way.
Amorphophallus borneensis is native only to the Indonesian island of Borneo. The species is also known under the name “penis plant”, due to the very distinct scent of the particularly large flowers. The plant builds up a reserve for about seven years after which the flowers can grow to be more than a meter tall. Amorphophallus borneensis has an underground tuber that is strengthened over the years by an annual vegetative growth. The plant produces only one leaf per year, which can immediately become larger than an average shrub.
Amorphophallus borneensis needs a relatively high temperature and humidity. The best temperature is around 25°C. During the rest period, when the leaf has disappeared again, the penis plant has enough on an ambient temperature of 20°C. The plant prefers partial shade. Amorphophallus borneensis needs a lot of water during the flowering period. The soil surface must be given the opportunity to dry out slightly between watering. During the rest period the tuber only needs water once a month only if the soil is very dry. It is very important to keep the tuber in a water-permeable substrate. Amorphophallus species from the tropics are extra sensitive to root rot. It is best to use bark for good drainage in the pot as opposed to a stone-based surface. This way you provide a substrate from which the roots can extract nutrients, without water accumulating. You can give Amorphophallus borneensis an average amount of plant food to promote growth. The addition of lime will do the penis plant extra good.
This Amorphophallus species is only found on Borneo and grows there in the lowland rainforest at altitudes between 300 and 500 meters. It is a relatively large species, with leaves reaching a height of 180 cm in the tropics. The petiole is strongly mottled and sometimes appears to be covered with lichens. The inflorescence has a green-purple bract and a white-pink spadix. After pollination, it is followed by orange-yellow fruits with 1 seed in each.
The plant grows from an underground tuber with 1 leaf at a time. Each time a leaf is followed by a larger leaf, whereby more and more energy is stored in the tuber. If it is large enough, the plant will be able to bloom. Usually this works from a weight of about 1 kg. The plant can be kept well as a houseplant, but a higher temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius is ultimately required for flowering. Provide well-draining soil and keep it slightly moist at all times. When the plant goes into rest (which is not often the case with this species), it is good to keep the soil less moist. In addition, a light location without direct sunlight is suitable.
Sowing instructions: The already germinated seed can be sown directly in a well-drained soil with organic material and eg perlite. For the first development, a temperature of 25-30 degrees Celsius is optimal.