Aroids

I love Aroids 💞 from the simply elegant Spathiphyllum through to the ones I’ll probably never see with my own eyes. But boy the Araceae family is big!

All the different species, subspecies, varieties, hybrids. Can all get a bit overwhelming sometimes.

Collectively, we have quite the range of Arums & accurately Identifying them can sometimes take generations. Especially in the case of say an Amorphophallus where the inflorescence may take 10 years to produce. Or a plant that has been named something else for years & then botany has provided it to be another genus. Or big nurseries mass release a plant incorrectly named & then takes another whole generation to correct 😅.

It can be very time consuming studying about each plant, putting the characteristics together, variants, morphology, sports, reading untold books or websites, talking with people around the world, and then waiting for that final inflorescence feature 😌.
While I love an accurate ID as it does help with learning about each plant; its growing requirements, its natural habitat, its history. I also just love plants & sometimes not knowing its accurate ID is the added enjoyment for me to go searching.

Below are some of the very handy referencing books & sites I read through. There's so much to learn, but for me, the learning ride along the way is the best part 🥰

Books:
Aroids, by Deni Bown
Aroideana
Websites:
Plants of the World - Kew Gardens
International Aroid Society (I highly recommend becoming a member)
Tropicos
Missouri Gardens
Exotic Rainforest
National & International Facebook Groups - Some of these forums can be very helpful, but also unhelpful if reading misinformed information.

I always bear in mind that even experts have different perspectives, research styles and like most things, there is continuous evolving. The learning never ends 🙌

What are some good references you use? 🙏 I'm pretty sure I've left many more off here.

Hope you’re enjoying your plant learning journey as much as I am 💞