Is it possible to grow Dracunculus vulgaris as a potted plant? (I would take the pot outside when it flowered) I don't have enough land outside that has with good soil. Most of my soil is extremely clayish.
Hi Link, You can grow it in a container but be sure it never dries out. It likes moist soil that drains well so it's not soggy. You can modify your clay soil to drain better by adding lots of organic matter. Dig in about 3" to 4" of compost to the entire planting bed, not just the planting hole and be sure to dig down about 12" if your soil doesn't drain well. Newt
Organic amendments do not really change soils, the proportions of sand, silt and clay remain the same. After the organic matter decays then you have to do it over again, if wanting different soil to plant in buy different soil and dump that on top of the clay. Dragon arum grows 3' (or more) tall up here, may topple soon after flowering - could be quite awkward in a container. Plant is also mostly height rather than spread, one specimen should require minimal space. (Reseeds where happy, of course, in which case you end up with much more than one). Main limitation to me is actually the repellant, dead rat odor of the flowers - although according to Christopher Lloyd this passes quickly and still-fresh blooms can even be used as cut flowers.
If you have to grow an aroid in a pot, there are more interesting aroids to grow than Dracunculus. It's popularity is probably due to the greater hardiness it has over similarly sized aroids. Some of the sub-tropical (and tropical) Amorphophallus are spectacular. Amorphophallus @ Plant Delight's Nursery
