What are voodoo plants?

Voodoo plants have a distinctive flower, made up of a single large petal called a spathe that wraps around a central, fleshy spike. One species (A. bulbifer) is often called devil’s tongue because its spathe resembles a long tongue encircling its spike, which protrudes just beyond the spathe’s edge.

Is a voodoo plant poisonous?

Yes, voodoo lilies are poisonous! So keep the bulb, foliage, and flowers out of reach of children and pets at all times.

What is the voodoo lily used for?

“So it’s a diet food, and it’s used in the diet food industry as a filler.” There are 200 species of the voodoo lily in different parts of the world. The species that the Calgary Zoo has originates from Indonesia, although some other forms of the plant can be found in Europe and Central America.

What does Voodoo smell like?

Voodoo lily plants are grown for the gigantic size of the flowers and for the unusual foliage. The flowers produce a strong, offensive odor similar to that of rotting meat. The smell attracts flies that pollinate the flowers.

Does a voodoo lily bloom?

The voodoo lily will only bloom when it is mature, and even then it may not bloom every year. It blooms in late winter, before the foliage emerges. In areas where there is little or no frost, like USDA zones 10 through 11, this means it can bloom outside where its fetid smell may be dispersed somewhat.

How big does a voodoo lily get?

4-6 feet tall
Plants can grow up to 4-6 feet tall. Even in tropical climates voodoo lily requires a dry, dormant rest period every year.

Can you eat voodoo lily?

Voodoo lily in leaf. The leaf stalk is mottled pinkish gray and olive green. The starchy tubers are edible and this plant is grown for food in some parts of the world, processed into a tasteless flour or stiff jelly (which can be used as a vegan substitute for gelatin).

How long does it take a voodoo lily to bloom?

Care. Voodoo lilies can be pricey plants, and nurseries make the plants affordable by selling small offsets or tubers. Gardeners may have to wait from three to five years to see the first bloom appear on a plant.

What do voodoo smell like?

The voodoo lily produces a scent that has often been described as being similar to rotting flesh. It does this using thermogenics, meaning the flower actually heats up to emit the scent.

What does a voodoo plant smell like?

rotting meat
Voodoo lily plants are grown for the gigantic size of the flowers and for the unusual foliage. The flowers produce a strong, offensive odor similar to that of rotting meat. The smell attracts flies that pollinate the flowers.

How do you take care of a devil’s tongue?

RECOMMENDED USE: Can be planted out in the garden for landscaping or used as a patio plant. It makes for a nice accent or potted specimen. CULTURE: Hardiness: Devil’s Tongue Barrel is hardy in Tucson down to at least 17oF.

What is unique about the voodoo lily plant?

The voodoo lily is unlike many plants in that the flower appears first, and the foliage may not make an appearance for another month, or in some cases, up to a year later! Gardeners inexperienced with growing these tropical plants may give up, fearing the plant has died. However, after the bulb has a period of rest, it will send up a single stem bearing a fan of flowers.

What does voodoo lily smell like?

The voodoo lily produces a scent that has often been described as being similar to rotting flesh. It does this using thermogenics, meaning the flower actually heats up to emit the scent. The reason this particular odor is produced is because of the types of insects it needs to pollinate the flowers.

When does voodoo lily bloom?

Native to the Indian subcontinent and the regions around the Mediterranean voodoo lilies produce one bloom each year or less frequently in May or June with the bloom lasting for one or several days followed by the production of a decorative seed head. Voodoo lily blooms are known for the dramatic architectural quality…

How do you care for a voodoo lily?

Voodoo lilies like a good drink, and then a period of dryness. Too much water can collect in depressions that form on the tuber, leading to rot. A monthly fertilizer rich in phosphate encourages a healthy root system. When the flower fades, you can remove it, but take care not to cut the emerging leaf.