Though most flowers smell pleasant when blooming, the dragon lily isn't a flower you will want to sniff. In fact, it is sometimes referred to as a "stink lily." This plant releases a smell like that of rotting meat to attract flies for pollination, which (fortunately) dissipates after a few days.
“The Amorphophallus titanum [or corpse flower] is difficult to grow and takes several years to flower,” explained McCabe. In contrast, the dragon lily is “unusual, though not nearly as rare or large as the Amorphophallus titanum,” said McCabe, adding that a dragon lily is easy to grow and typically flowers annually.
In Greece this plant is called Drakondia as the long spadix is viewed as a small dragon hiding in the spathe. The large palmate leaves have occasional cream flecks along the veins and the stem is very distinctive with dark-green-to-black and white markings. All parts of the plant are poisonous.
Dragon arum flower may look like a pampered tropical lily but it is actually native to the Balkans, Greece, Crete, the Aegean's, and temperate to cool parts of the Mediterranean. As such, it can withstand and thrive in United States Department of Agriculture zones 5 to 8.
Common Names: Dragon Arum, Dragon Plant, Voodoo Lily, Snake Lily, Black Dragon. Life Cycle: Hardy perennial. Height: 18 to 36 inches (45 to 90 cm). Native: Mediterranean.
All parts of the lily plant are toxic to both dogs and cats. That includes the pollen and stamens, the flower petals, sepals, leaves, stems, and bulbs.
Lilies are an easy to grow summer flowering plant with large, showy, and often fragrant flowers, which make a fantastic statement in the border. Lilies are perennial and will return each year in suitable growing conditions.
Lilies grow well in containers, where they can be positioned for maximum effect in the garden. It's a great way to grow these stunning plants, especially if you can't grow them in your garden.
The Dracunculus vulgaris, or dragon arum, is a favorite plant at The Cloisters. It is fly-pollinated and produces the smell of rotting meat in order to draw the insects to it.
As the plant matures, the bulb grows to a certain size and naturally splits to create a clone. It divides into two bulbs with the divisions called offsets. Each offset will grow into a separate lily plant. If left alone in the garden, each of the offsets will eventually split into new bulbs.
The roots or tubers of the gloriosa lily may contain enough toxins to cause serious multi-system organ failure if a dog or cat chews on them.
Dracunculus vulgaris or Dragon arum is a rare plant in the garden. Appreciated for its rapid growth, this perennial tuberous plant offers spectacular flowering in spring.
Even the smallest amounts ingested can be fatal. Ingested pollen, flower water or soil in which lilies grow, can sometimes even lead to symptoms of poisoning. Dogs and rodents are not in mortal danger even after eating large quantities.
The Fire Lily is a distinct trumpet-shaped flower with red and orange-yellow coloured petals, making it look like flames. These flowers are native to Asia and tropical parts of Africa. It's now rare in Sri Lanka and close to extinction in Odisha, making it a very rare flower in India.
The Middlemist's Red camellia is considered the rarest flower in the world. Only two known examples are believed to exist, one in New Zealand and another one in England.
Once pollinated, the dragonfruit forms at the base of the flower. The flower fades as the dragonfruit grows. Dragonfruit takes about 21 days to go from bud to flower and 30 days to go from flower to fruit. Florida dragonfruit season – June thru December.
The world's largest flower is Rafflesia arnoldii, which also happens to smell like rotting meat when in bloom.
The most elusive of nature's floral stink bombs is Rafflesia, and like the odors of its peers, its stench is an irresistible lure to pollinating carrion flies but off-putting to most humans. By botanical definition, Rafflesia barely qualifies as a plant. It has no stems, roots, or leaves.
It emits a strong odor of decaying flesh. The Dead Horse Arum Lily is an ornamental plant native to the Mediterranean region and can be found growing near the sea shores. Its common name refers to to the fact that this flower smells of decaying animal flesh. The foul scent lure flies in to pollinate the plant.
Lilies are generally perennial. Their bulbs, over time, get larger. Once they reach a certain size, the bulbs divide into more than one part. Horticulturists call these additional new bulbs offsets.
Potted Calla Lilies can last for approximately four months in an active state of growth. This includes a period of foliage growth in the first six weeks, followed by six to eight weeks of blooming.
Once a lily flower has faded, just break it off with your fingers or snip it off with a pair of shears to stop seed pod production. Make sure not to take off any leaves with the flower, however. The plant needs all its leaves to take in as much energy as possible.
Do lily bulbs need to be overwintered? If you live where no freezing occurs, you can leave the bulbs in the ground all year long. Gardeners in colder climates would do well to pull up the bulbs and save them indoors unless you treat the plants as annuals.
Over time, most lily bulbs will multiply and the plants will grow into large clumps with many stems. Lily bulbs don't mind being crowded and it's rarely necessary to divide them.