How to Grow a Voodoo Bulb

The voodoo lily (Amorphophallus spp.) stinks, but its survival depends upon the stench since it attracts the plant's main pollinators. The voodoo is an interesting plant that grows from what appears to be a bulb but is actually an underground stem. It produces a single petiole, a single leaf and a single flower. The leaf is heavily divided so it appears as many leaves. The flower is actually an inflorescence that contains a burgundy spathe and a long spadix. The plant's true, tiny flowers are scattered along the length of the spadix. Voodoo "bulbs" are best planted within zones 7b through 11 on the U.S. Department of Agriculture Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Things You'll Need

• Garden fork or shovel
• Compost
• 15-30-15 fertilizer

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Wait until the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit to plant the voodoo bulb.

   • 2

     Choose a planting location in a shady spot of the garden where the temperature remains between 68 and 75 F.

   • 3

     Work the soil so that it is light and fluffy by digging into it with a garden fork or shovel and crushing large soil clumps. Spread 4 inches of compost over the bed and mix it down to a 12-inch depth.

   • 4

     Set the voodoo bulbs 6 inches deep in the bed and cover with soil. Don't pat the soil over the bulb, but allow it to remain loose.

   • 5

     Water the voodoo bulb bed to a depth of 8 inches and keep the soil moist while it sprouts.