Devil's Tongue is a remarkable cormous perennial that produces a single, dramatically divided leaf rising 48-60 inches tall, crowned by a showy, fragrant flower that emerges before the foliage unfolds. Native to the forest margins of Yunnan Province, China, this plant has been cultivated for centuries across East Asia as both an ornamental spectacle and a serious food crop. Hardy in zones 6-10, it reaches maturity in just 55 days and thrives in partial shade with moderate moisture, making it an unusual addition to temperate gardens that can bridge the worlds of ornamental drama and culinary tradition.
1
Partial Shade
Moderate
6-10
60in H x 48in W
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Moderate
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The corms of Devil's Tongue can swell to an impressive 11 inches in diameter, producing starchy tubers prized in Asian cuisine for their unique texture and thickening properties. Its single leaf is extraordinarily complex, finely divided into intricate segments on a pale pink, mottled petiole that can command attention before any flower appears. The fragrant, showy inflorescence arrives with theatrical timing, often emerging before the leaf fully unfolds. For gardeners in zones 6-10, this means you're not just growing food or a houseplant curiosity; you're cultivating a living piece of horticultural history that bridges ornamental spectacle and practical harvest.
Devil's Tongue corms are harvested and processed into a starchy product used throughout East Asian cuisine, most famously as konnyaku, a gelatinous food substance that appears in everything from soups and hot pots to side dishes. The corms can be sliced, grated, or processed depending on culinary tradition and desired texture. Beyond the kitchen, the plant serves as a striking ornamental specimen in shaded garden settings, valued for its architectural foliage and unusual fragrant flowers that emerge seasonally.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Plant corms directly in their garden location in spring after frost danger has passed, positioning them in partial shade in well-draining, humus-rich soil with pH 6.0-7.0. Space corms 1 inch apart with 16 inches between rows.
Devil's Tongue corms reach harvestable maturity in 55 days. Harvest by carefully digging the corms after the leaf yellows and begins to die back in late summer or early fall, before the first frost. The corms can be used fresh or stored for later processing. Handle with care as the corms are the harvested product and can reach substantial size (up to 11 inches in diameter).
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“Devil's Tongue originates from the forest margins and open thickets of Yunnan Province in southwestern China, a region of extraordinary plant diversity. The species has been domesticated and cultivated throughout East Asia for centuries, where it became essential to regional food systems and traditional medicine. What began as a wild-collected tuberous plant evolved into a systematically grown crop, particularly in Japan, China, and other parts of East and Southeast Asia, where it became known by names like konjaku, konnyaku, and voodoo lily. Its journey from regional staple to global ornamental represents a rare reverse migration: while many plants traveled westward along trade routes, Devil's Tongue remained primarily an Eastern crop until modern seed catalogs and botanical institutions began offering it to temperate-zone gardeners seeking something genuinely different.”