Use offset tubers that the parent plant has grown during the course of the summer. Stability… The large heart-shaped Colocasia leaves and leaf canopy makes the plant top-heavy and can easily allow the plant to be blown over. For best results plant the corms in a large container and keep well watered, misting foliage regularly to boost humidity levels. To view this page as a PDF please click here. Colocasia esculenta (Taro or Dasheen) – “esculent” meaning edible, is grown not only for ornamental purposes. Bulbs can be dug and stored in cold winter climates to be replanted again the next year. Elephant ears can live outdoors all year in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. Indoors provide as much light as possible. The Elephant Ear plant or taro elephant ears is the common name for the genus Colocasia. Regular room temperatures are fine and the plant is able to tolerate temps into the 60° degree Fahrenheit range. It is susceptible to a few of the common garden pests. You’ve seen them! Native to eastern Asia, Colocasia esculenta, or Taro, is a tender herbaceous perennial that grows best in organically rich, wet soil and tropical climates. Details . Mechanical. Stability… The large heart-shaped Colocasia leaves and leaf canopy makes the plant top-heavy and can easily allow the plant to be blown over. They are a swamp plant that develops a good, hardy, root system under water. The food crop plant must be properly cooked before eating otherwise it can be upset the stomach. Colocasia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southeastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent.Some species are widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical and subtropical regions. Primarily grown for its dramatic foliage, award-winning Colocasia esculenta (Taro) is a tuberous, evergreen perennial with long-stalked, heart-shaped or arrow-shaped, soft velvety, rich-green leaves. Get a month of TabletWise Pro for free! Growing the Elephant Ear Plant - Colocasia delivers a bold tropical look to any landscape setting, excellent as potted specimens on patios. Water regularly and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly when in growth. Leaves may burn at first but once acclimated to the sunlight will do fine. Colocasia formosana Hayata. It prefers full sun to part shade or filtered sun and can be a great plant for planting at the edge of the understory of a tree or as a border. Elephant ears can live outdoors all year in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 – 11. Most of the plant species have no special scent. The care and effort it takes to overwinter elephant ears (Colocasia spp. During summer months provide them lots of water and plenty of full sun or partial shade. Samp. Colocasia antiquorum, an ornamental species with very large leaves has variations displaying margins and veinings of purple, sometimes called the “black elephant ears”, “black magic taro” or “black taro”. If needed treat with a miticide. Grown indoors, the flowering of elephant ears is rare, outdoors once established, the small green sheath holding a greenish-yellow cob of flowers is common. Elephant Ear Plant: How To Care For Colocasia Esculenta. The food crop plant must be properly cooked before eating otherwise it can be upset the stomach. Professional Growing Information . Colocasia euchlora K.Koch & Linden. How to Care for Colocasia. $21.95. Origin: India, southeastern Asia. Genus Colocasia can be deciduous or evergreen, tuberous-rooted perennials with arrow-shaped or rounded leaves, often prominently veined; flowers are minute, on a spadix held within a small white spathe, but are seldom produced in cultivation . Learn all about growing them, their needs, pest issues and how to carry them over winter to enjoy again next year. Colocasia plants (Elephant Ear plants) are common outdoor decorative plants, but also make a beautiful addition indoors! How to Prune Basil like the Pros, HUGE Basil Plants ALL SEASON LONG! Botanical Name: Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' Exposure: Partial Sun to Partial Shade; Bright Direct to Bright Indirect Indoors. Growing your Ornamental Taro. We'll respect your privacy and unsubscribe at any time. When growing any of the varieties but especially Colocasia esculenta you’ll need to plant them in the ground or in a large container, for several reasons. Plant database entry for Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta) with 57 images, 2 comments, and 35 data details. Thrips can attack leaves and suck the juices out of the plant and develops silvery pale patches on the leaves. Look for typical spider mite webbing under the leaves. Follow the label! Indoors provide as much light as possible. Colocasia esculenta, commonly called elephant's ear, taro or dashin, produces huge ruffled leaves of green or purple that stand on 3-foot stems. Never allow the plant to dry out. Dig out corms from the soil. Timbaland – The Way I Are (Lyrics) ft. Keri Hilson, D.O.E. 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