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Jul 4, 2015 12:01 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
I was at the "junky flea market" this a.m. with my husband. He wanted to show me a pressed glass bowl he had found to replace the one I have that has chipped legs. Nice ladies there, but the bowl was too big for 2 people.

Turned around and here is this elderly Italian lady selling plants. I saw this one and just had to have it because of the leaf colors. She didn't know what it is and neither do I but I've been looking for just such a thing!

I do grow colocasias and alocasias, but I'm thinking this is a taro??? What do I have and how do I take care of it?? Thanks!

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Last edited by florange Jul 4, 2015 12:02 PM Icon for preview
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Jul 4, 2015 6:38 PM CST
Plants Admin Emeritus
Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Aroids Irises I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Tropicals Vermiculture
Foliage Fan Bulbs Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Composter Plant Identifier
Looks like Arlene. One of the FL growers will be along for growing advice.
Evan
Last edited by eclayne Jul 4, 2015 6:39 PM Icon for preview
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Jul 5, 2015 9:59 PM CST
Kentucky πŸ˜” (Zone 6a)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Kentucky Moon Gardener Plant and/or Seed Trader Tropicals Plant Identifier
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Agreed, $5 is a good deal... They're strange little plants...

I bet care for them in Florida is much different than PA.
Please tree mail me for trades, I'm ALWAYS actively looking for more new plants, and love to trade!
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Jul 6, 2015 5:30 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
Easy, peasy. Thanks for the possible name. Had no idea. It's repotted now in a 13x11 pot and this winter it should be big enough to go into one of the "big guys" pots. I'm excited! Small collection, but enjoying it a lot. May even cause me to cut back on daylilies, who knows??
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Jul 6, 2015 7:06 AM CST
Plants Admin Emeritus
Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Aroids Irises I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Tropicals Vermiculture
Foliage Fan Bulbs Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Composter Plant Identifier
For what it's worth they can take sun in MA if well watered. May burn for you though. I'll wager they're root bound in a month.
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Jul 6, 2015 1:01 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
The little plant was in a gallon pot with 4" of soil but had nice roots around the outside. Looks happy now! I was concerned about over potting, and since there's going to be a big potting party for Colocasias this fall, Micky will be ready for it. In a couple of months, I'll start stashing potting soil. My garden is on Daytona's barrier island and it is only 2 blocks wide at this point. For the last couple of years, we've only had to move plants into the garage twice or three times during the winter. So they stay in their pots and grow to their hearts content. My goal is to repot every 2 years. Of course, on the patio Anthurium 'Ruffles' is 5.5 ft wide and 5 ft tall in his pot so he won't fit through any patio door. When it gets too cold (I wait for low 40's) then he gets pulled through the patio sliders and lives with us in the house until it warms up. He takes over the breakfast nook. Hubs isn't any to pleased about this, but he thinks Ruffles is great outside. We'll have to do the same time whenever a strong Tropical storms hits, too. That doesn't happen often.

Here are a couple of pictures:

Thai Giant and Micky
My Thai Giant is about 6 mo old and needs to be repotted this fall.

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Here is my Black Magic. He's been in that pot for 2 yr. Also on the list to be repotted.

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These are my teacups. They filled their pot in a year and also need repotting.

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Jul 7, 2015 12:28 PM CST
Kentucky πŸ˜” (Zone 6a)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Kentucky Moon Gardener Plant and/or Seed Trader Tropicals Plant Identifier
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Arlene, I'd say your Thai giant is actually xanthosoma sagitifolia (sp)
It's a common mistake as the both get massive and the leaves look quite similair, they're often ever marketed as Thai giant.

I'd also wager that black magic is mismarked as well, black magic has velvety, matte leaves, and spreads by clumping, yours looks glossy, and with a pot that full, it looks like that one spreads by short runners, there's so many glossy leaf dark colocasia that I couldn't guess what it is...

A rose by any other name smells just as sweet!
Please tree mail me for trades, I'm ALWAYS actively looking for more new plants, and love to trade!
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Jul 7, 2015 3:35 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
I can't argue with you! The guy who mows my lawn gave me what he called the Thai Giant. Since it is only 6 mo old, let me repot it and see what happens. The black one is from a tiny nursery where the guy tells you what he thinks it is. No label in the pot just his word. (big shrug). It has grown magnificently well and makes me very happy regardless of what it is called. I did check the database and found pics that had matte leaves, but others have exactly the same leaves as my beauty. I'll not give them names on this form again. I'll just call them my big green guy and my beautiful black colocasia.

I did look up the xanthosoma and the leaves on my green colocasia are not pleated and only the very young leaves have points. I'll see what happens as it gets bigger.
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Jul 7, 2015 7:57 PM CST
Kentucky πŸ˜” (Zone 6a)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Kentucky Moon Gardener Plant and/or Seed Trader Tropicals Plant Identifier
Garden Ideas: Level 2
I just thought you might like to know, like I said, the name hardly matters... Unless you try to order something new and different but then end up paying a lot for something you already have...

This is why folks call these things elephant ears, sorting out what's what can be a challenge! Personally, I enjoy the challenge.
Please tree mail me for trades, I'm ALWAYS actively looking for more new plants, and love to trade!
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Jul 8, 2015 9:43 AM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
Being a Master Gardener, I prefer the term "colocasia".

What offends me is that every one of my 125 daylilies is tagged with it's name, it's hybridizer's name, and the date is was registered. Everyone. Now oh just call them Elephant Ears. What a bunch of whatever.
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Jul 8, 2015 10:10 AM CST
Plants Admin Emeritus
Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Aroids Irises I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Tropicals Vermiculture
Foliage Fan Bulbs Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Composter Plant Identifier
I feel your pain Arlene. Smiling There are retailers out there who do their best to accurately represent what they sell. That said I purchased this plant at a garden center several years ago. It was labeled 'Black Magic' Rolling on the floor laughing

florange said:Thai Giant and Micky
My Thai Giant is about 6 mo old and needs to be repotted this fall.
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I believe Sway is correct. The plant behind X. monstruosum imo screams Xanthosoma. There is no leaf tissue at the sinus, the lobes are relatively pointed, the leaf is +-perpendicular to the petiole and I'd wager there is a very visible marginal vein on top and bottom of the leaf. When the botanists disagree on how to define these plants that have been in cultivation for millennia X. sagittifolium is as good a candidate as any.
Evan
Last edited by eclayne Jul 8, 2015 10:17 AM Icon for preview
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Jul 8, 2015 10:59 AM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Butterflies Bee Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Arlene, I love that Mickey Mouse Xanthosoma with the variegated leaves and also the black Colocasia ... and the Teacups. If I had space I could so easily end up with a huge collection of Elephant Ears! I didn't find one in the ATP database called Tea Cup or Teacups, only Elephant Ear (Colocasia 'Coffee Cups') I wonder if they are one and the same?

By "Junky Flea Market" do you mean the one out by the speedway? I haven't been out there in a long while but I used to find some great plants there years ago! You stay a lot warmer on the barrier island than we do here on the mainland side of town. I live in the Pelican Bay subdivision (Williamson Blvd. & Beville Rd.) where we didn't even have a single frost this past winter and yet I heard folks in other parts of town say that they had frost a couple of times. I never had to cover my container plants at all this past winter which was wonderful ... I'm hoping this coming winter is as mild so I don't have to worry about hauling stuff into the porch and getting up in the attic and getting all the old blankets/covers down etc. My hubby is going to phase out his teaching career and next summer we're relocating farther south to Sebastian where we bought a home earlier this year. I'm sooo looking forward to moving all my plants down there where hopefully I'll never have to worry about winter freezes again. :)

If your Thai Giant turns out to be you won't want it to escape out of the container ... they spread like crazy and are listed as a Florida Cat. II non-native invasive. I had them escape a pot a few years ago and it seemed like they were popping up everywhere but we finally got all of them dug/yanked out of our yard. I think I still have a couple of small ones in a container on the side of the house but I have no clue why I've saved them. I used to volunteer at Sugar Mill Gardens in Port Orange and we had issues with a few invasive plants there too, the Xanthosoma was one if I remember correctly along with Pothos and the awful Dioscorea (Air Potato)!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


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Jul 8, 2015 12:37 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
Hi Lin!!! I live in Ponce Inlet. Maybe in the fall we can get together!

The teacups are a smaller version of the coffee cups. I bought these on the internet and everyone who sees them loves them.

The junky flea market is in Port Orange on US 1. It truly is junk. The one by the speedway is lovely compared to this one.

When we were in Daytona in 1984-88 (that's when I got my MBA from Stetson ... ugly experience). Anyway my husband was an executive with one of the S&L's that financed Pelican Bay.

Lin, I've lived further south and I LOVE the climate here on the beach. We lived in Ft. Lauderdale and honest to peat, the 2 yr we were there, the temps never got below 85 degrees. I like a mild winter but after reading I know you want to live nearer to family. Good for you!!

About the colocasias, I have Illustrus and it is an escape artist. My lawn guy is dialed into this stuff, so I won't judge the "green thing" before it grows a bit. I keep a 12x12 cement block under the escape artists. That slows them down.

Have to tell you. Last year I went to Leu Gardens with a friend. They had planted different intersections of paths with colocasia. So, when 2 or 3 paths merged and then separated, that's where the colocasia were planted. I told my friend (from Denver) oh my heavens, I don't think they have done enough to contain those plants. There was someone there who loved the aroids, but I don't think they planted them well. Might go there later this season to see what happened.

We went to an estate planner from USAA yester. He was appalled at the amount of money I spend in my garden. Getting a plant for $5 is unusual for me. He wasn't my fan at all. Told my husband he needed to control what I did. My husband laughed. That won't happen.
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Jul 8, 2015 1:29 PM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Butterflies Bee Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Arlene, I'd love to get together some time in the fall if time permits. My husband teaches at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and we stay busy with basketball from November through early March but games are at night so yeah, maybe we can plan to meet up one day this fall if you have some free time.

Oh, I think I know the flea market you are referring to as the junk one, is it the one on U.S. 1 between Port Orange and Allandale? I haven't been to that one since the 70's. My husband and I have been in Daytona since he got out of the military in 1973, but we've only lived in the PB subdivision just under four years. We sold another house here in Daytona this past spring that we'd owned for 40 years and we'll put our current place on the market sometime after the first of the year. We have tenants renting our home in Sebastian and their lease will be up next May 1st so we'll be making the move at that time. My husband isn't ready to totally retire yet but will be scaling down his teaching duties; he plans on taking the entire summers off and will teach two days a week for fall of 2016 and 2017 before hanging it up completely although I've always said it wouldn't surprise me if he's still teaching there at the age of 80!! He plans to commute the 210 miles (round trip) twice a week beginning the fall of 2016 but we'll see how long the commute thing lasts. Smiling My sister and her husband retired to Sebastian from Davie (Fort Lauderdale area) this past January. They'd been in Broward county since the late 1960's and though they aren't much farther north, to them it's like living in the northern U.S. They thought it was chilly when the temp's were at 60ΒΊ! LOL, I like mild winters too and the older I get (I'm 67) the more the danged humidity gets to me but I really look forward to living near my sister. They are homebodies and do not like to travel so over the years it's always been us driving the 3 1/2 - 4 hours south to see them ... it's going to be wonderful being on the next street over!

Gosh, I haven't been to Leu Gardens since probably 1969 or 1970 and I bet it's changed a lot over the years; I'll be curious to hear if all the pathways are still lined with Colocasia.

LOL re: the estate planner being appalled at the amount of money you spend on your garden. We have an appointment with an estate planner tomorrow afternoon and she better not even think of commenting negatively about my plant budget! Rolling on the floor laughing Actually I don't even have a plant budget; I began to downsize with plants a few years ago but I'll probably need to set up a garden/plant budget when we move because the property is just under an acre which is much larger than what we currently have and I'm pretty sure I'm going to want one or two (or ten or twenty) new plants once we get settled! Green Grin!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


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Jul 8, 2015 1:35 PM CST
Name: mj
Central Florida
Butterflies Region: Florida Keeps Horses Hummingbirder Garden Ideas: Level 2 Plant and/or Seed Trader
Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge)
Arlene, I grow the Mickey Mouse taro in the ground and in a container. Both went dormant last winter, but the potted one came back faster. May be tho that it got watered more regularly. We were short on the rainfall dept. in late spring early summer.
Both mine get spats of full sun, dappled sun/shade and shade. They are chow hounds and thirsty, so feed and water them often, and as Evan said, be prepared to repot soon !
God gave us wings. He just called them horses
Last edited by mjsponies Jul 8, 2015 6:51 PM Icon for preview
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Jul 8, 2015 2:42 PM CST
Thread OP
Name: Arlene
Florida's east coast (Zone 9a)
Birds Bromeliad Garden Photography Daylilies Region: Florida Enjoys or suffers hot summers
Tropicals
Oh my, thanks everyone!

Lin, sooner not later. There is a little restaurant on US 1 so of Dunlawton that's called Peppercorns Cafe. Maybe we could meet there???? At your convenience. The chef owns the restaurant and she grows basil, Myers lemons, and sundry other plants in pots outside the place. It's on the right side of the street at the corner of Commonwealth and Dunlawton. The small strip center has a convenience store, post office, a hair cutting place and the restaurant. The food is fabs! We go there once a week. You would never think that a nice restaurant would be there! Please send me a treemail and we will set up the time.

Funny about your sister. Man, do I understand. When I moved back from Atlanta in 1999, I continued working as a bank examiner at the the FDIC office across from Universal Studios. When I was at the banks, I'd usually stay in hotels but when I had to write up reports I'd do it at the office. So, 2 or 3 weeks in the bank (depending on it's size) and 2 or 3 weeks at the office. I was driving all the time! Well, I'm fairly small with small wrists and carpel tunnel attacked viciously. That put me on disability because the US govt couldn't accommodate me. So I retired at 54. Best thing that ever happened!

Maybe you could take some stuff from my yard down to Sebastian. We'll see!

MJ, I don't have the nerve to put any of my colocasias in the ground. Right now the little Mickey Mouse is in the shade, but in 2-3 weeks, I move him into a place that has more sun. Thanks for the advice.
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Jul 8, 2015 4:00 PM CST
Kentucky πŸ˜” (Zone 6a)
Cactus and Succulents Region: Kentucky Moon Gardener Plant and/or Seed Trader Tropicals Plant Identifier
Garden Ideas: Level 2
Mickey Mouse isn't a thug, you can turn them loose, other xanthosoma will crowd out any and everything down there!

Aroids is pots often emerge earlier that in ground because their soul warms up faster, more water will definitely speed them up too!

Wish I was down that way... Tall are making me nighty jealous!
Please tree mail me for trades, I'm ALWAYS actively looking for more new plants, and love to trade!
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Jul 8, 2015 5:30 PM CST
Name: Lin Vosbury
Sebastian, Florida (Zone 10a)

Region: Ukraine Region: United States of America Bird Bath, Fountain and Waterfall Region: Florida Charter ATP Member I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database!
Million Pollinator Garden Challenge Birds Butterflies Bee Lover Hummingbirder Container Gardener
Arlene, I'll send you a tree mail in the next day or two and we can set a date/time to meet up at Peppercorn's! I've never eaten there but I know exactly where that little strip shopping center is on U.S. 1 at Commonwealth Blvd. I googled and found their menu and I see that they have Mahi so I already know what I'm gonna have for lunch that day! Green Grin!
~ I'm an old gal who still loves playing in the dirt!
~ Playing in the dirt is my therapy ... and I'm in therapy a lot!


Avatar for robertg954
Jun 4, 2016 6:14 PM CST

Hi! I'm new to the group here, first day. I was looking up the xanthosoma, I bought one today. It's not the first one I've had, maybe the 3rd. I was wondering since it's been a year since this thread started, how yours did? The first one I got years ago didn't make it. The last one, well....I'm not really sure....I lost a ton of my alocasia, colocasia and xanthosoma collection a couple years ago when my sprinkler system pump died. This year a TON of xanthosomas came up but they are all greeen. Now, I know it's been a while since I saw them, maybe 2 years but I can guarantee I never bought an all green one. It's just not my style. Did yours come back up the same? Also, I'm wondering if partial sun in a bog would suit it. My colocasias are in heaven in there!

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Jun 5, 2016 9:41 AM CST
Plants Admin Emeritus
Name: Evan
Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA (Zone 6a)
Charter ATP Member Aroids Irises I was one of the first 300 contributors to the plant database! Tropicals Vermiculture
Foliage Fan Bulbs Hummingbirder Lover of wildlife (Black bear badge) Composter Plant Identifier
Approximately where are you located? I've seen pics of X. violaceum grown in full sun, potted in a fish pond in Florida. They were huge. They did get removed in the fall though.
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