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Repotting guide

When & how to repot Amorphophallus maximus (Amorphophallus maximus)

Also called maximum voodoo lily, giant amorphophallus.

More about amorphophallus maximus

About Amorphophallus maximus

Amorphophallus maximus · also called maximum voodoo lily, giant amorphophallus · tropical

Amorphophallus maximus is a large tropical African tuberous aroid grown from a big corm. Each season it sends up a single, broadly divided umbrella leaf on a tall mottled petiole, dying back to a dormant corm afterwards. It needs warmth, humidity, bright filtered light and very free-draining soil, and rewards patient growers with an architectural seasonal leaf and occasional malodorous bloom.

Mature size: Leaf commonly 1-2 m tall with a wide spread on a mature corm, forming an impressively architectural seasonal specimen.

How to tell amorphophallus maximus needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For amorphophallus maximus, watch for these signs:

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot amorphophallus maximus

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, amorphophallus maximus is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Large tuberous, seasonally dormant aroid producing a single, broadly divided umbrella leaf per cycle on a tall mottled petiole; an inflorescence may appear separately before the leaf..

What size pot to step amorphophallus maximus up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant amorphophallus maximus, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot amorphophallus maximus

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing amorphophallus maximus in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting amorphophallus maximus

  1. Wait for dormancy. Let amorphophallus maximus foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
  2. Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
  3. Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
  4. Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh fertile, sharply draining aroid or bulb mix at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
  5. Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting amorphophallus maximus, keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for amorphophallus maximus

Amorphophallus maximus wants fertile, sharply draining aroid or bulb mix. Use loam-based compost opened up with grit, perlite and bark. The large corm rots in cold, wet media, so prioritise drainage and a deep, generously drained pot. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting amorphophallus maximus — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot amorphophallus maximus?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for amorphophallus maximus. Amorphophallus maximus is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in fertile, sharply draining aroid or bulb mix. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does amorphophallus maximus need?

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant amorphophallus maximus, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one. Use our pot size calculator to size it from the plant's current pot and root spread.

When is the best time of year to repot amorphophallus maximus?

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing amorphophallus maximus in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Do you "repot" amorphophallus maximus, or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Amorphophallus maximus grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise amorphophallus maximus after repotting?

Hold off feeding amorphophallus maximus until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.

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