SB, A question. This A ear had cold damage. I cut back and treated rot, maybe. You can see new sprout on both sides of trunk. Will new growth ever come from higher on trunk? Larry

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@Charles and @LarryC

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Neighbor and I both had containerized Thailand Giants, Colocasia gigantea last year and overwintered them; this year we put them outside in the garden. The neighbors plant looks like it has produced 3 pups that are coming up adjacent to the parent. What is the best way and when to separate the pups. Thx

Going to the basement for the winter.

We've decided that we're going to remove all of the calo's and alo's from the pots this year and just store the bulbs. We just don't have the room to bring in 7 pots and still be able to move.

Xeramtheum said:Last I heard it was Alocasia .. some called it Caladium but since it doesn't go dormant for a couple of months it was determined not to be Caladium. Here is a link to the following quote about it:

http://www.arhomeandgarden.org...
Thanks for this info! I'm having a hard time finding info that isn't so basic!
Barkbarkgreenhouse.wordpress.com

Apparently, the plant makes a short rhizome somewhat like a caladium, not the upright trunk found on Alocasia macrorrhizos (Elephant Ear) or the large fleshy tuber of Colocasia esculenta (also called Elephant Ear). Hilo Beauty is a hybrid, but no one is sure what species were involved in the cross, since the plant doesn't flower. To accurately identify the plant to genus, flowers are critical.

So, depending on the point of view of aroid experts, Hilo Beauty has been classified as belonging to one of four separate genera. The commercial propagators who have it in tissue culture and are mass producing it for the retail trade have chosen to call it Alocasia, so Alocasia it becomes.

Unless someone maps the genome, we'll never know.

I would love some suggestions on how to care for elephant ears grown in a container.
I have one that is beautiful!
It has purple stems and plant is green with some purple "veining".
My problem is..it's in a container on our patio (we live in a condo)..
It's getting very tall..a few of the stems have become so tall & heavy they bend and eventually die.
I have bought garden twine to try and keep them sturdy..but would love some input from anyone.
Also..mine is starting to bloom (the first was last week..end of September and another one popped up yesterday)
(*I have it in a large container
(3-4 gallon) because the ground in our back yard is so hard and I wasn't able to dig deep enough to plant in ground*)
Thanks in advance!!
Btw: I am in Georgia🍑

It looks like Colocasia violet stem. It may need more light.

Probably the best way to keep things upright would be to put several tall sticks/poles around the outer edge, and then run your twine around them. You could do it in several levels ao that you not only catch the existing stems, but also the new stems as they grow.

It probably won;t matter anyway this late in the year. When it gets cold, that is going to die back and go dormant. Maybe give it a fresh start next season

Thai giant, new leaf is 5' long, it's throwing a new leaf weekly, or faster!
Should get 10 more leaves this year! Look out!

Mojito, colors awful this year, I may buy a few more and see if I get better genes

C. Fontenesii blooming

C. Diamondhead

Violet stem
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Hi 'Swayback,'

I see you have planted Mojito and Diamond Head. Do you have any tips? I am trying to grow elephant ear for the first time this year, and bought those two bulbs from Eden Brothers. They say on the E.B. website that they like partial shade. Is that true? I have seen other websites indicated that they need full sun. Do you think these would be hardy in zone 8a/8b to leave out all year in a very large (2.5 feet x 2.5 feet) container?

Thank you!

-H

ALocasia and Colocasia in zone 8 will freeze back to the ground and not be evergreen. If you cover the container with frost cloth you may be able to preserve them, otherwise, they will go dormant. If the soil in your container freezes it may rot the tubers. But usually they will come back in Spring

A few years ago I was visiting a peacock breeder and he had huge elephant ears growing and spreading everywhere. I took a pup and I planted it in a bad spot and it didn't do well. When I finally moved it, I decided to put it by the back door steps and eventually when it pupped I would put the pup on the other side of the steps. However my parent's neighbor was tossing a huge elephant ear that looks to be the same variety and my parents saw it and saved it for me so now I have to giant elephant ears on either side of the steps. I have no clue what variety they are? The leaves aren't rounded or slightly blue like some of the big varieties I've seen.



Earlier in the summer before the plant got even taller:




Bloom


Bonus image - A monarch made its cocoon on the back of one of the huge leaves!

It looks very much like Xanthosoma robusta

Thanks Gina I just looked up Xanthosoma robustum. It does look like my plant!
I find it interesting that it isn't a colocasia but it is similar and it is from South America instead of Asia.

I have a Jack's Giant elephant ear, but it isn't nearly as big yet and I think I prefer the xanthosoma.

I'm very glad to have a better idea of what it is, because I love this plant and my parents keep giving me big ones that their neighbor keeps throwing out.

I love Xanthosomas. I have a few different ones. I'm in FL too, and they are easy growers here and always come back after winter.