Mature size & growth rate

How big does Amorphophallus abyssinicus (Amorphophallus abyssinicus) get?

Also called Ethiopian voodoo lily.

More about amorphophallus abyssinicus

About Amorphophallus abyssinicus

Amorphophallus abyssinicus · also called Ethiopian voodoo lily · tropical

Amorphophallus abyssinicus is an African tuberous aroid from Ethiopian and tropical highland regions. From a dormant corm it sends up a single short-lived inflorescence followed by one finely divided umbrella leaf on a speckled petiole. It needs warm, moist soil while in leaf and a dry dormant rest, and the whole plant is an oxalate-bearing aroid.

Mature size: Leaf typically reaches 0.6-1.2 m tall with a canopy spread up to about 0.8 m; tubers commonly reach 8-15 cm across.

Watch for — Tuber rot in dormancy: Cold, wet compost during the rest period rots the corm. Store the dormant tuber dry or guarantee sharp drainage, and resume watering only when growth restarts.

Indoor size vs how big it gets in the wild

Amorphophallus abyssinicus is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to leaf typically reaches 0.6-1.2 m tall with a canopy spread up to about 0.8 m, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (tubers commonly reach 8-15 cm across.). Indoors and in a pot, expect leaf typically reaches 0.6-1.2 m tall with a canopy spread up to about 0.8 m. In the ground with no restriction it is a completely different plant — tubers commonly reach 8-15 cm across. — which is why the pot, the light and the pruning matter so much for the size you actually end up with.

It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Growth rate and years to mature

Amorphophallus abyssinicus is a moderate grower. Realistically, expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Its feeding profile backs this up: feed every 2-3 weeks through active growth with a balanced liquid fertiliser, moving to a higher-potassium feed late in the season to build up the tuber. stop feeding as the leaf yellows and the plant enters dormancy.

Want this turned into the right next pot at the right moment? The pot size calculator and the amorphophallus abyssinicus repotting guide cover when and how much to size up — pot size is one of the biggest levers on how fast amorphophallus abyssinicus grows.

How to keep amorphophallus abyssinicus smaller

You are not stuck with the maximum size. For amorphophallus abyssinicus specifically, these are the levers, in order of impact:

The decisive tool is the secateurs: amorphophallus abyssinicus can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape.
Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size.
Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height.
Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

The keep-it-smaller method, step by step

Pick the new height. Decide how tall you want amorphophallus abyssinicus and find a leaf node or branch point just below that.
Top the main stem. Cut the main growing tip cleanly just above that node in spring; this permanently caps the height and forces side branches.
Keep the pot snug. Avoid jumping to a much bigger pot — a slightly restricted rootball keeps the whole plant smaller.
Maintain the shape. Prune back the tallest new leaders each spring to hold it at the height you chose.

How to grow amorphophallus abyssinicus bigger or faster

If you want it to fill the space sooner, push the conditions rather than hoping — for amorphophallus abyssinicus the accelerators are:

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators.
Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back.
Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.

Light is almost always the ceiling. The amorphophallus abyssinicus light requirements page covers exactly how bright a spot it needs to grow at its potential instead of stalling.

When amorphophallus abyssinicus outgrows the room (or the pot)

"Too big" usually arrives as one of these signs for amorphophallus abyssinicus:

The top leaves pressing against or bent by the ceiling — the classic "this is now too tall indoors" sign.
It has to be moved away from a light source it has literally outgrown.
Roots filling the largest pot you can reasonably keep indoors — at that point it is top-or-prune or move it outside (if hardy).

If it is the pot rather than the room, it is a repotting job, not a goodbye — see the amorphophallus abyssinicus repotting guide. If you want more of this plant instead of a bigger one, the amorphophallus abyssinicus propagation guide turns prunings into new plants.

Amorphophallus abyssinicus size — frequently asked questions

How big does amorphophallus abyssinicus get?

Amorphophallus abyssinicus reaches leaf typically reaches 0.6-1.2 m tall with a canopy spread up to about 0.8 m when grown indoors, and far larger where it grows unrestricted (tubers commonly reach 8-15 cm across.). It gains real height on a trunk or main stem, adding a tier of leaves a year and eventually reaching for the ceiling — this is a plant you grow up, not out.

Is amorphophallus abyssinicus slow or fast growing?

Amorphophallus abyssinicus is a moderate grower. Expect three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Amorphophallus abyssinicus is a tree at heart. Indoors a pot and your ceiling keep it to leaf typically reaches 0.6-1.2 m tall with a canopy spread up to about 0.8 m, but in the ground it is a different scale of plant entirely (tubers commonly reach 8-15 cm across.).

How long does amorphophallus abyssinicus take to reach full size?

Roughly three to six years to reach mature indoor size, gaining a steady amount each growing season. Light, pot size and feeding move that timeline more than anything else.

How do I keep amorphophallus abyssinicus smaller?

The decisive tool is the secateurs: amorphophallus abyssinicus can be topped (cut the main growing tip) to cap its height and force a bushier, shorter shape. Keeping it deliberately pot-bound in a snug container slows the whole plant and limits ultimate size. Prune in spring so it heals fast; remove the tallest leader back to a node to reset the height. Expect to top or hard-prune it every year or two — left alone it heads for the ceiling.

How can I make amorphophallus abyssinicus grow bigger or faster?

It already wants the bright light it needs; warmth, a yearly pot-up and spring-summer feed are the accelerators. Pot up a size every year or two while young; restricted roots are the main thing holding height back. Feed regularly through the growing season and keep it warm — height comes from sustained good conditions.