Family: Araceae
Latin name: Amorphophallus hewitti
Origin: Malaysia
This very rare arum can be found in the rainforests of Borneo and has one of the largest inflorescences of the Amorphophallus genus. 1 leaf grows from an underground tuber, which is followed by a larger leaf each time. The leaves are umbrella-shaped and have a graceful, mottled stem. In the tropics, the leaf can eventually reach a height of up to 3 meters and if the tuber is also large enough after many years, the species can flower. The inflorescence can reach a height of one and a half meters and consists of a green bract with a red-purple interior and a large, protruding pink appendix.
The flowers in this inflorescence are pollinated by flies, which are attracted by an unpleasant putrid smell. Flowering takes a lot of energy, so that it is over after 2 or 3 days. A short but impressive spectacle. The species does fairly well as a houseplant, but it is important to use a well-draining soil and to keep it slightly moist at all times. The plant usually goes into rest once a year, during which there is no leaf to be seen for a period. During this rest period you can also keep the soil slightly moist, after which the new leaf will appear again.
Sowing instructions: You can sow the short-life seed(s) immediately after receipt in sowing and cutting soil. Keep the soil slightly moist at all times and at 25-30 degrees Celsius. let germinate.
Sowing time: All year
Difficulty Level: Medium
Minimum temperature: 15 degrees Celsius