Devil's Tongue (Amorphophallus rivieri)
Other names Umbrella Arum
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
- Frost limit
- −1.1 °C
Cultivation
Requires shade and a rich soil in its native habitats, but it probably requires a position with at least moderate sun in Britain. This species is being increasingly cultivated for its edible tubers in Japan and China. The tuber is harvested in the autumn after top growth has been cut back by frost and it must be kept quite dry and frost-free over winter. The plant has one enormous leaf and one spadix annually. It requires hand pollination in Britain.
Propagation
Seed - best sown in a pot in a warm greenhouse as soon as it is ripe and the pot sealed in a plastic bag to retain moisture. It usually germinates in 1 - 8 months at 24°c. When large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least a couple of years. Plant them out in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts, and give them some protection such as a cloche until they are growing away strongly. Division of offsets.
Edible uses
Rhizome - cooked.
Medicinal uses
The root is oxytoxic and sialagogue. The flowers are febrifuge.
Material uses
The plant has insecticidal properties.
Habitat
Loose leafy detritus in moist shady habitats.
Native range
E. Asia - Cochin China, East Indies.