Devil's Tongue: Plant Care and Dietary Information

The Devil's Tongue plant, also known as the Voodoo Lily, is a very scary, bizarre looking plant. It is a tuberous rooted plant, native to Asia and Africa. In summer and fall, it has beautiful, waxy green leafy foliage, that produces a pink/Burgundy bloom in late winter, to early spring. The Devil's Tongue plant closely resembles the Calla Lily. Unfortunately, the bloom stinks terribly. It smells kind of like raw meat. Due to it's stench, the Devil's Tongue is not pollinated by the typical insect, but rather by flies, and it may be best to keep it outdoors while in bloom.

The Devil's Tongue grows best in a warm place that gets 2 to 3 hours of morning or afternoon sunlight in late fall, and spring, but prefers a warm shady area in summer. Avoid Noon day sun, as direct sunlight many scorch it's foliage. The Devil's Tongue prefers soil consisting of loam, leaf mold, and sand that is kept slightly moist during it's growing period. During winter, when Devil's Tongue is dormant, it should be kept in temperatures below 60 degrees, and should be kept dry. It enjoys a little fertilizer when the leaves start to appear, and occasionally during the summer.

Plant your Devil's Tongue in a large pot, with good drainage, at the end off April. Early spring is the best time to re-pot older bulbs, and to propagate new plants. Bulbs grow larger each year, and form wart like nodes between leaf axles, that will grow into new bulbs. These can be snipped off and propagated.

Given the smell of Devil's Tongue, I was surprised to learn that it is very well know in Japan for its edible corms. The Japanese use it as a cooking supplement in dishes such as Oden and Sukiyaki. The Devil's Tongue is rich in dietary fiber, and can lower cholesterol. It is also used to clean the digestive tract of toxins, and is used in products such as "FibraSlim" as an aid in weight reduction. For more information, contact your local Dietitian.

In some countries, the Devil's Tongue plant is used in the treatment of diabetes, but in moderation. It should be ingested with 8-16 ounces of water, and should be completely avoided by pregnant or breast feeding women. Although the corms of the Devil's Tongue are edible, some of the plants parts are poisonous, and should not be ingested. Check with your doctor, and your local dietitian before ingesting any.

The Devil's Tongue is also used as a Vegan substitute for gelatin, only it is much stiffer. It has been used int the Asian fruit jelly snack known in the United States as Konjac candy. These Jelly snacks are made from such a strong gel, that only chewing can disintegrate it enough to swallow. These products carry warning labels advising parents to ensure that their children throughly chew them before swallowing.

If you can get past the smell, the Devil's Tongue plant can be a beautiful exotic addition to your home or garden, and a great supplement in your diet.