# How to Grow Konjacs
Snake plant, devil's tongue and voodoo lily are all nicknames for a plant botanically known as Amorphophallus konjac. Perfect for shady garden locations, konjac blooms in shades of deep to muddy purple, on a plant that grows from an underground stem. Interestingly, the konjac bears only one leaf on its 6-foot tall stalk. Plant konjac well away from open windows and areas where people congregate as the flower emits a putrid smell to attract its insect pollinators. Konjac is suited for growth in zones 6a through 11 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone map.
Things You'll Need
- Compost or rotted manure
- Coarse sand or bark chunks
- 15-30-15 fertilizer
- Straw
Instructions
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Plant konjacs at least 6 inches deep in soil that you've amended with 3 inches of compost or rotted manure. Add an additional 3 inches of coarse sand or small chunks of bark to heavy soil to help drainage.
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Water the konjac often enough so the soil remains just slightly moist at all times.
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Fertilize the konjac for the first time each season when it is 6 inches tall, with a 15-30-15 analysis fertilizer. Use the rate listed on the fertilizer label and reapply monthly until it dies back, signaling dormancy.
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Leave the konjac's stem, or corm, in the ground after it dies back in fall. Cover it with 6 inches of straw or other mulch. Rake the mulch back and dispose of it in early spring after the last frost.
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