Typhonium venosum seeds

Typhonium venosum, the Voodoo Lily, was previously named Sauromatum venosum and has had a large number of taxonomoic synonyms over the years. Native to a wide geographical region from Africa across to China, this stunning aroid is one of the hardiest of all the exotic aroids and will thrive in most British gardens in a warm sunny spot. A very tropical-looking aroid, it has an extravagant exotic foliage, mid-green with a slight blueish haze, that is highly phototropic and leans dramatically towards the light. In the late spring/early summer, the Voodoo Lily's extraordinary inflorescence, like some glossy grey-purplish-black horn, pokes out of the ground, growing rapidly, almost visibly, and it doesn't stop growing until it is about 2 or more feet tall, when, with its elongated poker-like tip and bulbous egg-timer shaped base, all resting on a short white lilac spotted stalk, it looks not unlike the horns of some emerging subterranean devil. A large clump of these is particularly effective. As the spathe unfolds it reveals an intense black spadix which remains prominently and suggestively erect like a sinister black antennae while the spathe continues to fold back, displaying its internal pattern of rich purplish brown and pus-coloured yellow with a distinctly velvet sheen. The spathe continues to unfurl over several days until it rests flaccid like a long mottled tongue, emitting a delightful fragrance which some people unkindly liken to rotten flesh but I personally think is more a strong melange of curry plant and fecal matter. After flowering, large clumps of dark purple seeds form, held aloft above the ground. An easy and highly rewarding hardy aroid.