An Odd Reminder of a Biblical Story

Wow, can't believe it's been so long since my last post. We sold our home in South Florida, spent almost two months in hotels as we searched, and then waited, for our new home in Central Florida. I'm now somewhat settled and getting back into writing.

I went outside and our Snake Lily (more info about this plant to follow) had collapsed. This scripture passage came to mind:

Jonah 4:6-11 King James Version (KJV)

6 And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.







7 But God prepared a worm when the morning rose the next day, and it smote the gourd that it withered.

8 And it came to pass, when the sun did arise, that God prepared a vehement east wind; and the sun beat upon the head of Jonah, that he fainted, and wished in himself to die, and said, It is better for me to die than to live.
9 And God said to Jonah, Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd? And he said, I do well to be angry, even unto death.
10 Then said the Lord, Thou hast had pity on the gourd, for the which thou hast not laboured, neither madest it grow; which came up in a night, and perished in a night:
11 And should not I spare Nineveh, that great city, wherein are more than sixscore thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?


So, what happened to my Snake Lily? One day it was standing and the next, it was on the ground.

Snake Lily, Voodoo Lily, Devil's tongue, dragon plant, elephant yam, konnyku, leopard arum, snake palm, umbrella arum. (Amorphophallus konjac, A. rivieri, A rivieri var. konjac, A. mairei, and Hydrosme rivieri) The Snake Lily is a member of the philodendron family (Araceae) (I love philodendrons and hope one day to have a porch/house full.

Each starchy tuber produces one leaf stalk that divides into three sections in an umbrella-like formation. The tuber can be as large as a foot in diameter and up to 50 pounds. As the leaf grows, the tuber shrinks, then spends the remainder of the growing season becoming larger than before the new growth. The petiole (stalk) is olive green mottled with a pinkish-gray color.

Plants eventually grow four to six feet tall with a four foot span. This plant goes dormant in late summer/early fall. (Thus the Jonah gourd effect)

Once the tuber reaches about grapefruit or larger size, it may produce a flower (of sorts-inflorescence). It's shiny brown-purple to maroon in color and can grow up to three feet. When blooming, it attracts carrion flies (it's natural pollinator) by giving off an odor similar to a dead animal.

I have several growing in various areas in my gardens. All of which were not planted by the previous owner nor myself. I love the different and am extremely happy this plant chose to pop up in my gardens. I did dig up one to add to the turtle pond decor. We'll see how it does this winter in a pot. I think it adds a nice look to the pond and hope it does well.  
                                                

It's still adjusting to the transplanting or getting ready to go dormant. Follow this blog, or FB (for both this plant and for the turtle pond build) and you can keep up with how well it adjusts to being in a pot rather than in the garden. 

Other places you can find me on the web: My FaceBook pages Dennise Sleeper, author, Ten Little Gator Eggs, Botanical Aquaponics, Second Chances: Blue Rose, The Eclectic Collection, and my YouTube Channel. Friend/follow and subscribe if you want to keep up with the eclectiveness of my life.

Reading:

With the Heart of a King: Elizabeth I of England, Philip II of Spain, and The Fight for a Nation's Soul and Crown, byBenton Rain Patterson

Recently finished:

 

In a Texas Minute by Stella Bagwell



"Do one thing everyday that scares you." Anonymous