School for Aroids

GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

Thanks for the sympathies, Kris. Mood is a little black at the loss of my little beauty.

The other surprise was C. 'Diamond Head' as I understood this to be less sensitive than Black Magic as well.

The other "non-asia" aroids, the two philodendrons and the Monstera are growing like there's no tomorrow in the heating that seems to have been turned up a hundred notches to combat the current freeze.
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: School for Aroids

Post by Dave Brown »

Black Beauty can sometimes rot a main rhizome and appear to be lost, but even the tiniest piece can come back once better conditions return. I didn't bother trying to keep it going this winter as it comes back far better having been allowed to die back.
SEE THIS TOPIC
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

I've had the pot that grew Black Beauty on bottom heat for nearly a week to see if anything reshoots, Dave. Not confident as I saw no trace of any stolons, but as with your example, you never know.

Still keen to have one of your replacements and if mine does recover I'll have more than one to share out as I suspect the teachers will be fighting each other for display rights next Autumn term :shock:

The A. wentii 'Aline' and A. Mayan Mask have been graciously granted an audience with Sand's Spathyphyllum on the bathroom window sill, but only on condition they go back to school on Monday. (You can tell she's a teacher :lol: )

Xanthosomas are also on bottom heat hoping to have something to show for the class talks in a few weeks.
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

A couple of class talks at the school last week had me take a potted sprouting eddoe with two leaves and a cocoyam tuber just showing signs of life as part of a 'fruit and veg' discussion.

The two classes had a fruit and veg display and some of the children of Carribean background felt they would rather grow the plant than eat the tuber! Along with bananas and citrus in the classroom the aim of the talks were to show what some of the plants that grow the food the children eat look like in the flesh :D

The A. mac has thrown out another leaf in the school gym - still pumping sap, that one.

The Philodendron selloum and Monstera were requisitioned a couple of weeks ago along with a large Kentia and Ravanea to a classroom to decorate a 'Chronicles of Narnia' display. White cotton wool has been attached to the leaves of the plants. :shock: I'd have thought they would have needed pines rather than palms. I must say that the seam of cotton wool along the stem of the Philodendron looked very fetching :D
kata

Re: School for Aroids

Post by kata »

I'll be following this thread with interest Greville as I am also overwintering Alocasia Mayan Mask, Colocasio Mammoth, Pink Stem and Black Magic indoors on windowsills.
Wow Goggle, is it in the garden now.....8ft height....awesome!

Looking forward to your images.

:lol: :lol:
call

Re: School for Aroids

Post by call »

i wish there were aroid displays at my school (i would never get to class on time :D )
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

call wrote:i wish there were aroid displays at my school (i would never get to class on time :D )
Couldn't you display your own in the classrooms, Callum? (You'd be there early to water them :lol: )

( YOU THERE! Stop staring at those plants and pay attention!!) Perhaps not :shock:
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

Spent most of the day yesterday at the school contributing to 'Green Day'. This involved a sequence of half-hour tours round the school for years three and four to look at and discuss some of the plants I bring in every year.

Some plants taken home at Easter were returned during the week and these included some of the Colocasias I had growing on there at the beginning of last winter which have resprouted.

One astute young man asked me what happened to the newly sprouting coco-yam that I brought in for a class talk six weeks ago and I proudly showed him the plant potted up with two full leaves to lots of ooohs and aaaahs :D

The favourite plant on the tour seemed to be the seven foot high Alocasia mac with its 'monster leaves'. Lots of requests from the littl'uns after the tour to do the same on green day next year - course I will, bless'em :D
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

The aroids have been returned to school again for this winter minus the colocasias. Two philodendrons and the monstera are growing merrily away and the Alocasias mayan mask and macrorrhiza seem very happy to be back.

They were all purloined along with all the other exotics I placed around the school for two 'rain forest' displays at the beginning of the winter term. Putting them all together has made them easier to water and today I was invited by the teachers to give the two classes a talk on rainforest plants.
User avatar
Yorkshire Kris
Posts: 10163
Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 8:59 am
Location: Rural South Wakefield, Yorkshire Lat 53.64 Long-1.54

Re: School for Aroids

Post by Yorkshire Kris »

GREVILLE wrote:The aroids have been returned to school again for this winter minus the colocasias. Two philodendrons and the monstera are growing merrily away and the Alocasias mayan mask and macrorrhiza seem very happy to be back.

They were all purloined along with all the other exotics I placed around the school for two 'rain forest' displays at the beginning of the winter term. Putting them all together has made them easier to water and today I was invited by the teachers to give the two classes a talk on rainforest plants.

Excellent work Greville. I bet the kids love your plants and hearing about the places they naturally grow in. Also not used the word "purloined" before. I'll make the the word of the day at work tomorrow. :)
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

Two teachers took them without permission :shock: on the first day back from the winter term. This was an inset day so no children. Full credit to them - the displays were very effective even if they included a load of succulents :lol:

I turned up at the end of the first day back to water them after the holiday and wondered where they had gone. When I discovered the noble purpose for which they had been taken I felt the word 'tea-leafed' would be inappropriate. Hence the word 'purloined'. You have my blessing to spread the word, Kris :lol:
User avatar
Dave Brown
Site Admin
Posts: 19742
Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 10:17 am
Location: Chalk, (Thames Estuary) Kent, England 51.5N 0.3E
Contact:

Re: School for Aroids

Post by Dave Brown »

Good work there Greville. A winter home for your plants, and an education tool all in one icon_thumright
Best regards
Dave
icon_thumright
_________________________________________________
Roll on summer.....
http://www.hardytropicals.co.uk
GREVILLE

Re: School for Aroids

Post by GREVILLE »

I'm glad the plants are making a difference to their education. A bonus for me as I no longer have room for everything in the greenhouse and strict limitations on what I can bring in the house.

Some drawbacks, however. When the plants are in hot classrooms there is invariably an explosion of pests from around christmas. The Alocasia mac was transferred from the cool gym to the rainforest display and now has a rapidly growing colony of woolly aphid.

I'm obliged to leave them there as I want the children to see the pros and cons of a naturally occurring habitat. Sacrifice for knowledge icon_salut I'll spray them later, though, as once dead they look exactly the same as alive. Hope no young smart Alec will spot the difference. ("Why did you kill those little creatures? They were only enjoying a meal" :?)
Post Reply