Central Virginia Organic Gardener

"And 'tis my faith that every flower enjoys the air it breathes." - William Wordsworth, 1798

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

It's Alive!!!!



Voodoo Anyone?
One of my voodoo lilies (Dranunculus vulgaris) is in bloom! This fly-pollinated plant, also called "Corpse plant" smells like rotting meat or manure, just the ticket to attracting flies! Don't worry, this ephemeral bloom is short-lived so the smell doesn't last that long. This is an exotic plant that I adore! See the flies in the photo? Don't plant it near a door or window that is often open!
Happy gardening!

4 comments:

Jenn said...

That is cool! I've never seen anything like it before!

Anita said...

Ahhh...the infamous fly-pollinated plant!
My little one remembers that conversation. How many days will it last?

Judy Thomas said...

It is related to skunk cabbage and other arums (you may have heard of the titum arum, or Amorphophallus titanium, the tallest flower in the world, that is grown in some botanical garden conservatories, including the US Botanic Garden in DC). They share the trait of having a foul-smelling inflorescence (not truly a flower) that is in a sheath or hood.

Unknown said...

I have one that is over taking my yard. I get tons on bulb start every year. I now have 3 large groups.