The Dragon and Lucifer

Okay here is the Dragon just before it's first bud opens. You have to be right on top of things when catching your pics with this...flower because they don't last much longer than two days. The next is the day the first bud opened. Here is a close up too. It is truly a unique specimen and a real conversation piece. Here it is two days later. It didn't last long. Remember, you can click on pictures to enlarge.

When they are beginning to open those spikes or buds go from their vertical position to horizontal as you can see in the picture. If you haven't seen any of my postings from previous years, these things have a memorable aroma and I don't mean pleasing. Flies love them! However I must admit, the smell was not as bad as the first time. I remember flies swarming all over those things. I was wondering if the smell would be two times worst having two flowers open at the same time but it really wasn't that bad. I could smell that unpleasant small as I was weeding about 15-20 feet away. Thank God these babies don't last too long. I have to say it is the best 7.95 (or there abouts) I've ever spent through a catalogue.

The two larger flowers opened together, on the same day which was about two days later though they didn't last as long as the first. They opened last on Saturday and were the perfect specimens for my Sunday brunch. However by Sunday night they were starting to droop as you can see. They lasted barely a day. To get an idea of how large the Dragon Arum is, I will take a guess and say these being about the same size might have measured about 22 inches each. The first and smaller one might have measured about 16 or 18 inches.

Two pics of Lucifer. These are about one week apart so you can see how quickly they grow. I think they will be in bloom in another week or two. Lucifer will be a beautiful, bright red, weeping, cluster of flowers that will steal the show in the garden for a few weeks. They are spreading quite a bit and it is time to divide them. Stay tuned for pics of them in bloom.


ALSO stay tuned for another gluten free dessert that I have posted before but feel I should again because I just love it so much. it is one of the easiest, elegant, rich, and yet light (well, a little light) desserts ever. If you haven't tried it yet. Please try it!