Colocasia Gigateae Elepant Ear Alocasia.

I think Gingers do a different job

I have several, some of which have quite dramatic foliage - but only in the way that the tall grasses and Bamboos do. Tall My favourite (in terms of being dramatic) is Hedychium gardnerianum

Apart from a few somewhat earlier ones it is a race to get them to flower before the first frost - however their flowers are impressive, and the scent is strong.

Colocasia OTOH are a seriously [architecturally] leafy plant, and great at the front of the border. Big paddle leaves Flowers are rare I expect, as its grown more as a foliage plant, but they are pretty dramatic too, like other Aroids.

 

Yup, you're right Kristen; they do a different job!

 

That just basically means that I have to have both

 

Hi All
Tropical fiends

sort of showing off but here is mine that's into its second season with me , staying outside now

 

I just put mine in a pot of compost and that was that, do grow them indoors at first now in poly tunnel, putting up second leaf.

 

I need a step-by-step for how to get mine to look like that - or to what I am doing wrong!

 

Bought from Anglian Bulbs
I put into the propagator, as soon as I got it, waited till the pot was full of roots went two sizes up and potted it on kept in the greenhouse until root bound another 6 weeks then planted into that huge tub , mix of John innes no3 and multipurpose xtra grit I am xtra grit crazy , fed all sorts through the summer chem pack no 3 , tom food, seaweed extract , I cut 90% of the leaves off going into winter dried the compost out wrapped up like a Christmas present , hey presto so I must of done something right , I wonder how big it will go this year ?

Spruce

 

kept two leaves on each of the TWO stems , I had to cut away all the mush (early April) it looked like mashed banana to describe it properly to let the new growth sprout out to be honest I have neglected it a bit over the past 3 weeks as I wanted it to dry out and not grow away so quickly before it went out as my greenhouse isnt that big , and I thought June will be safe.

Do you grow them ?

 

I am so jealous @Spruce....

 

dont be daft ....
1st time growing for me , when it arrived it was the size of a huge turnip maybe that the secret of growing them get the biggest tuber you can ?
I get jealous of Armandii oriental poppies they just hate my soil and only send up 3 or max 4 flowers , I suppose the bar has been set now my only fear I have to get it through another winter , this one was mild and its only kept in a cold greenhouse but well wrapped.

thanks again

Spruce

 

Well ... those are two key pointers for me.

I wonder about the grit - supposedly, once in full leaf, Colocasia are happy in pots that are sitting in water.

But I have plenty of grit, so I could do the "xtra grit crazy" trick for sure

 

"Colocasia are happy in pots that are sitting in water"


it does drink a lot everyday and I do have the tray with a inch or two of water in , it soon lets you know its had enough as it drip water from the end of the leaves.

Thats when I empty the tray or put other smaller ones in to have a drink .

Spruce

 

A photo update on how it's growing