I'm adding colocasia Jack's Giant, c. Bikini Tini, c. Gigantea Thailand Giant, and alocasia Dark Star to my tropical garden. Today I received info that these plants will rot if left in the ground year-round, and that they do not form a large enough corm to regrow if stored indoors. I was advised to dig an offshoot, pot it, and store indoors.

Jack's Giant are 5 giant corms (purchased from generous member Bill Kurek, Caladiums4Less), and the others are in 4" pots. I have grown colocasia esculenta for years, overwintered in large outdoor pots protected from the rain and freezing temps, with no problems.

If anyone has experience with growing any of the above in zone 8, I would like your advice/experience. I purchased these particular plants because they are rated as hardy in my zone 8B. If I made an expensive mistake in buying them, I will be most unhappy. I don't have a greenhouse or any indoor space for overwintering. These plants were chosen for growing in-ground and in large tubs (along with THIRTY 13/15-inch colocasia esculenta corms!).

Hi Marty,

I am sorry no one answered your question, but maybe 2.5 years later you know the answer?

I also live in zone 8b and have fallen in love with alocasias. Right now mine are in pots but I plan on putting them in the ground in the spring. I have imperial red, dark star and regal shield. Is it possible that I will be able to leave dark star and imperial red in the gr

ound (unless we get another snowpocalypse) over winter? Dark star is supposed to be hardy in zone 8b, but, like you, I don't want to make an expensive mistake.
Thanks, Sue.

I just now discovered your 2021 reply to my post! I did lose everything I mentioned, except Jack's Giant, Coffee Cups, and a group of colocasia esculenta that waited until 2023 to expire. We have had strange weather fluctuations the last few years, and I lost a lot of tropical plants. But this year I am replanting, with an emphasis on mulching and protecting the new plants next winter. Your colocasias and alocasias must look wonderful growing in the Texas heat! That is what is missing here---we have too much shade. But musa basjoo and gunnera are still happy. Brent and Becky's Bulbs has good prices on various colocasias, Caladiums4Less has the biggest and best Jack's Giant corms, and Netherland Bulbs has mammoth colocasia esculenta corms for a low price. Did you lose yours?

Marty I don't think aroidsue is on this site anymore