[USDA zone 5a - 11]
 
'Strain #1' and 'Strain #2' are very similar and of the typical Am. konjak. They are very similar and virtually indistinguishable. They however originated from different sources and almost 30 years apart.  I list them separately more for nostalgia sake than anything. More my trying to keep track of the original Amorphophallus konjak I was given in the 1980s. Both 'Sstrain #1' and 'Strain #2' are growing well in Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse NY. 
 
Please view the video of the pollinators inside of the "flower".
 
This species is native to Yunnan Province China.  This species as with most Amorphophallus and Arisaema species are seasonally dormant. Plants of this species grow 24” – 36”. Each tuber produces a single stem that terminates with a single “leaf”. Each leaf consists of a large umbrella of smaller leaflets that is 24” – 30” across. The stem leaf stem is green spotted with pink and darker purple. The plant alone is very ornamental. The inflorescence is produced from the naked tuber before the leaves are produced. In fact the tubers don’t have to be planted for it to flower. The inflorescence is 12” – 24” tall. The inflorescence is single “flowered“. The “flower” is actually a modified inflorescence that consists of the spathe (outer ornamental part) and the spadix (internal sexual bits). The spadix is 20” – 30” tall. The spadix appendage (apical non-sexual bit) is dark purple-maroon to purple-black and tapers to a blunt point. The spathe that surrounds the spadix is 12” – 20” long. The outside of the spathe is dark green heavily spotted purple. The inside is dark maroon-purple. Flowers last only a few days. The flowers attract flies for pollination. The “fragrance” is heavily reminiscent of rotting meat or roadkill. The Infructescence that can form is also very decorative. In late August – early October it consists of a corn cob like structure of green berries that turn yellow then orange when ripe. It is important to wear gloves if you harvest the berries as they juice can stain and irritate mammalian skin.