book2

by Derricka
(Perth, WA, Australia)

spathe-flower-21705257

Underside of leaf

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Hi there, I’ve had this plant for a couple of years now.

About a year ago I cut it back and gave some cuttings to my mum.

The leaves on the original plant are now growing half the size they once were, but my mum’s plants leaves are still the same size.

Last December my mum’s plant flowered.

The original plant has not flowered at all.

It has long green leaves.

The flower is really unusual to say the least. It only flowered for about a week and only opened for a little while each day.

And it doesn’t seem to like the sun very much; it’s prone to sunburn.

Thanks and any help would be appreciated.

Hi Derricka, that is an unusual flower – and a dead giveaway; plants that have these kinds of flowers, called spathe and pistil, are commonly found in shady boggy areas; the most common ones are called Jack in a Pulpit, or Arisaema which this isn’t as it has different foliage.

Other possibilities are Calla Lily, which is known botanically as Zantedeschia, which tends to have more open and pointed spathe and again, different foliage.

I will have to do some more research into this for you, stay tuned.

For the smaller leaves and not blooming, this is most likely due to not enough water and fertilizer, or needs to be repotted. You don’t say what the conditions are for your plant; in ground, potted in whatever kind of soil, etc.

As this type of plant generally seems to prefer the shade and damp areas, I would repot it into rich soil, high in leaf mold or compost, and water it more than you have been. This might be enough to trigger some bloom.

Hope this helps,
Jacki