Colocasia (elephant ears), Alocasia (upright elephant ear), Arisaema
(jack in the pulpit, cobra lily), Amorphophallus (Voodoo Lily), Pinellia (false jack in the pulpit), Arum (arum lily), Sauromatum (voodoo
lily), Remusatia (false elephant ear), Dracunculus (dragon arum lily), Arisarum (mouse plant), Biarum (half arum), Peltandra (arrow
root)
If you are looking for unique plants, then you've come to the right place.
The garden perennials known as Aroids are a group of very unique plants and are also some of the most popular perennial plants here at
Plant Delights due to their unusual spathe and spadix flower. Aroids thrive in a variety of habitats...some prefer a sunny spot and
others are woodland garden shade plants. Aroids are exotic plants that vary in size , shape and texture from the impressive elephant ears
(Alocasia, Colocasia) to the diminutive Mouse Plant (Arisarum) and green dragon
(Pinellia). If you are looking a really unique and unusual perennial for your garden, try an aroid.
Read More About Aroids
Members of the aroid family also include the voodoo lilies (Amorphophallus, Dracunculus, and Sauromatum), woodland
plants whose anatomically incorrect flowers appear out of nowhere a month before their leaves in the spring. Some aroids are bizarre
flowering perennials but many are prized just for their large, highly textural, deeply lobed, and sometimes variegated foliage. One of the most popular and widely
known aroids is Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema) that preaches the gospel every spring.
Plant Delights Nursery has one of
the largest collections of aroids and other unique plants for sale in the country. We are continually adding new aroid specimens to our
plant catalog so check back often.
Since 1988, Plant Delights Nursery has been the choice of serious gardeners
and plant collectors looking for the best and rarest perennial plants. We are pleased to have received the Perennial Plant Association
Retail Award in 2011, the American Horticulture Society Commercial Award in 2002, and to have been selected as one of the Best Mail Order
Plant Sources - Garden Design Magazine 2010. Welcome to our family of plant lovers!
Alocasia cucullata 'Yellow Tail' is a quirky little elephant ear that has fared very well in our garden trials since 2002. In shape, Alocasia 'Yellow Tail' resembles a vigorous form of typical Alocasia cucullata, forming 3' tall x 3' wide clumps of small, twisty, thick, glossy green leaves, but with leaves that are bordered with an irregular, narrow yellow edge...a plant for collectors who need every one. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: Alocasia macrorrhiza) This very cool elephant ear is quite different from the typical Colocasia esculenta. The thick, sculpted, glossy green leaves are held upright on dramatically rigid stems. A clump of giant upright elephant ears is guaranteed to stop visitors in their tracks...especially if they walk into it! Alocasia macrorrhizos has been quite hardy in the Raleigh area, surviving 0 degrees F, but prefers it a bit warmer. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
In 2005, we were botanizing north of Hanoi and after finding our road washed out, we retreated through a series of uninteresting back roads until sighting this bizarre form of the common Alocasia macrorrhizos in the front yard of a small home. The owner gladly shared a piece that we subsequently named Alocasia 'Shock Treatment'. This mutation of Alocasia macrorrhizos is a 3' tall clumper with glossy green, bizarrely twisted and crinkled leaves resembling a larger version of Alocasia cucullata 'Crinkles'. So far, this has proven as winter hardy as regular Alocasia macrorrhizos. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: Alocasia x portora 'Portodora') This superb alocasia hybrid was selected by Ron Weeks from seedlings of a cross made by LariAnn Garner of Aroidia Research. This hybrid of Alocasia odora x Alocasia portei makes a stunning upright clump that is essentially an improved Alocasia macrorrhizos. Each giant, green, heavily-scalloped leaf is held sturdily upright atop a thick, muscular, purple stalk. This is truly an architectural specimen plant for any garden. As with all elephant ears, a moist, rich organic soil is best. A good, thick winter mulch helps prevent rot caused by cold, damp soils. Pot Size: 2 qt. (1.892 L)
Available 6-13-2013 Although this hardy and easy-to-grow elephant ear was first described in 1916, the true species is just now becoming known in horticultural circles. From the remote mountains of New Guinea, Alocasia wentii is one of the few alocasias we have found to be winter-hardy in our Zone 7b climate. The glossy bronze-green leaves reach 1' in length as they adorn this tightly clumping elephant ear. As the breeze blows, you will enjoy the contrasting metallic-purple leaf backs. Plant Alocasia wentii corms at least 6" deep in soils that remain dry in the winter months. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Amorphophallus albispathus AGA-1017) We are pleased to offer our best silvery glaucous leaf form of Amorphophallus albispathus that we've christened Amorphophallus 'Hi Ho Silver'. This south to central Thailand species typically has green foliage, but there are a few populations where the foliage tends toward silvery blue. The unspotted flesh colored petioles that support the leaves top out at 18" tall when mature and the snow cone-like flowers are held atop 18" flower stalks in spring. When dormant, the tubers can be stored dry or left in the container sans water. This form of Amorphophallus albispathus is found in the salt spray prone limestone cliffs of Phang-Nga Bay, Thailand. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus albus is a little-known but easy-to-grow voodoo lily, native to the Yunnan Province of China. The stalks of Amorphophallus albus are either solid green or green with grey spots, and topped with a glossy green leaf. Amorphophallus albus is a rapidly offsetting species that forms a nice 2' wide patch (in 5 years) in the woodland garden. In spring, just as the leaf emerges, it is joined by a 1' tall flower stalk with a 6-8" tall flower perched atop. Each flower resembles a large ivory shell showcasing a white, cigar-like appendage...green at the tip and white at the base. For a raucous time in the garden, try interplanting with Alstroemeria 'Princess Monica'! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus ankarana hails from Madagascar, where it forms a 2' tall, dark purple splotched stalk. The inflorescence is a white cup with a long pointed tip, adorned with a long purple spadix. Amorphophallus ankarana 'Fine Wine' is a 2013 Plant Delights Nursery introduction. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus arcuspadix is a new (2012) species of Amorphophallus from an Alan Galloway discovery in Bolikhamxay Province, Laos, where it was growing in shaded areas among limestone boulders. Amorphophallus arcuspadix is closely related to Amorphophallus verticillatus. The 1' tall stalks, which are topped with typical amorphophallus foliage, multiply by stoloniferous offsets to form a small colony of stalks. The stalks of white inflorescences strongly resemble Amorphophallus verticillatus, except for the strongly arched spadix. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Amorphophallus asterostigmatus AGA-2004D3) It was fascinating to see this rare species in situ (a fancy botanic word meaning where it grows naturally) in the Lop Buri region of Thailand. In the wild, Amorphophallus asterostigmatus is usually wedged tightly between large boulders where drainage is good and soil is at a minimum. The offsetting rhizomes produce 18" tall, gorgeous tan/pink stems, usually highlighted with black spots. The white spathe and spadix sit atop a 1' tall stalk. We think Amorphophallus asterostigmatus 'Superspot' makes a superb manageable-sized container specimen where it is not winter hardy. Amorphophallus asterostigmatus 'Superspot' is a fast-offsetting, 26" tall clone that we selected from an Alan Galloway seedling collection as having the largest dark cinnamon spots. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This stunningly beautiful Amorphophallus atroviridis is found on rocky cliffs in north central Thailand around the town of Sara Buri. The 18" tall, reddish brown (often speckled) stalks are topped with wide-lobed, black leaves, surrounded by a bright red border. The summer-borne inflorescence sits atop a short flowering stalk and resembles a small pink cup that holds a well-sized spare part for a urology transplant. Thanks to amorphophallus guru, Alan Galloway, for making this offer possible. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Our Plant Delights Nursery selection, Amorphophallus atroviridis 'Grey Expectations', has an unusual grey petiole color with lighter grey lichen-like patches along the stalk. A Thailand native species from near the town of Sara Buri, Amorphophallus atroviridis 'Grey Expectations' is slightly shorter than typical of the species, but with the same lovely near black leaf, edged in red. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus atroviridis 'Pewterware' is a Plant Delights selection of the north central Thailand species that typically has black foliage. The foliage on Amorphophallus 'Pewterware' is, as you can no doubt surmise, pewter, surrounded by a narrow red edge. The 1' tall stalks are speckled reddish brown. The summer-borne inflorescence sits atop a short flowering stalk and resembles a small pink cup that holds a well-sized spadix. This is a very limited offering. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This amazing cinnamon-red petioled form is our collection from near Lop Buri, Thailand in 2005. The foliage is the typical black leaf with a red border...this Plant Delights Introduction is quite stunning. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Amorphophallus atroviridis PDN009) Amorphophallus atroviridis 'Thai Hot Spot' is a 2012 Plant Delights Nursery release...our collection of Amorphophallus atroviridis from a Buddhist monastery (with permission) in Thailand's Lop Buri Province in 2002. The 18" tall stalks of this clone were a particularly attractive cinnamon with large peach-colored spots. The leaves are a typical near-black with a faint red edge. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Over the years, we have noticed a dramatic difference in the quantity of leaf bulbils produced by different clones of Amorphophallus bulbifer. We selected the most prolific producer of bulbils and christened it Amorphophallus 'Old Warty'. When the tubers are large enough, this aroid produces the prototypical 15" tall, phallic pink flowers near ground level in early to mid-June. The leaves of Amorphophallus bulbifer 'Old Warty', which arise in late June (don't call us in May), are held atop 4' tall stalks laden with intercalary (between the leaf segments) bulbils in August and September. You'll have so many bulbils, you can share them with your friends or pass them out to the trick-or-treaters you don't want to return...just kidding. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus bulbifer 'Stemulation' is a quirky voodoo lily that popped up in our seedbed in 2004 with a most unusual characteristic for this aroid species...it produces multiple stems from one tuber, which eventually separate, forming a large patch. In theory, this shouldn't be possible since Amorphophallus bulbifer shouldn't do either, but then, we never let our plants read scientific journals. Each tuber will produce up to eight, heavily speckled, 30" tall stems and when the tuber matures, it also produces at least eight of the lovely pink vase-shaped flowers per patch...very strange and unique plant for the woodland garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus crispifolius is a recently published (2012), species discovered by NC plantsman Alan Galloway on an expedition in Khammouane Province, Laos. Amorphophallus crispifolius is a small species that emerges from a long finger-like tuber. The 10" tall stalks are topped with a green amorphophallus-like leaf with very serrate (crispy) edges. The inflorescences are like white snow-cones revealing a well-endowed fleshy pink spadix with a white head...send yours to school with your kids for show and tell. If your Amorphophallus crispifolius is able to successfully mate, you'll be rewarded with a stalk of lovely cobalt blue berries. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Amorphophallus declinatus is a little-known species, discovered by plant explorer Mary Sizemore in Palawan, Philippines. In form, Amorphophallus declinatus resembles Amorphophallus konjac. The 4' tall rough-feeling stalks are dark, but highlighted with large silvery blotches. The inflorescences are quite spectacular with a large pitcher (spathe) that is mottled grey, while the top of the spathe is a nice purple-red, complementing the long purple spadix. The front of the spathe drapes (i.e., declinatus = declines) around the spadix in a less than effective attempt at modesty. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Amorphophallus odoratus) Similar to Amorphophallus yunnanensis, Amorphophallus dunnii boasts a peculiar flower stalk that reaches 2' tall, topped with an 8-10" ice cream cone-like flower. The vase (spathe) looks like a green and white speckled cone with a "zipped-open" front...for better exposure. The creamy white, bulbous sexual appendage (spadix) sits like a...well, you know...a sexual appendage inside the red-bottomed spathe. According to amorphophallus guru Wilbert Hetterscheid, the inflorescence of Amorphophallus dunnii smells of fresh carrots, but then who could trust Wilbert's nose after smelling so many amorphophallus? The 2' tall speckled stalk is topped in summer with typical amorphophallus foliage. Amorphophallus dunnii is a fast-offsetting species is an easy one for beginners. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
.jpg)
