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View Full Version : Elephant Ear question.


blownz281
08-20-2013, 02:26 PM
Picked up a dark almost chocolate colored EE plant. It's hardy to zone 6 so will do fine in my zone 8. Black magic do great in our yard. The other I want to plant the chocolate one gets pretty wet and water can sit in the area. Now is this something that would rot the corm during winter? The most water has been like 2" and maybe stayed like a day or two. The area is mulched as well. Thanks.

SilkKnoll
08-21-2013, 08:43 AM
It sounds as if you're describing Kona Koffee, a new hybrid from a man named Cho in Hawaii.

In my experience Colocasias often do well as marginals, growing in wet soil or shallow water. However, I think that only goes for tropical climates. I've had many elephant ears rot over the winter when they were too moist. They can take lower temperatures if dry, but the combination of a long, cool period and moist soil seems to invite the growth of bacteria that rot the rhizome.

blownz281
08-21-2013, 11:54 AM
Yeah, I had some I forget the name but with the huge crimped leaves. The backyard must stay alittle damp in the winter,and I put a cage around it with a foot of mulch. It rotted away,then just not to long ago tiny pup came out then died off. I have some huge clumps of black magic which stay pretty moist during heavy rains. They never died off,but are right against the house. Have you ever bought something awesome looking which was cheap for the large size,then wonder where are we going to put this :08: hmm not sure if to take the chance or not.

RobG7aChattTN
08-22-2013, 09:51 PM
The like it wet when it is hot but not when it is cold. You could cover with about 6" of mulch in a cone shape, then cover with plastic and then cover that with more mulch. I just use mulch in my zone 7 garden but the area where they grow is not all that wet. The only zone 6 Colocasias are the Brian Williams introductions which have some 'Pink China' blood in them. In zone 8 you might be able to get by with more moisture but really, the drier in winter the better.

sandy0225
08-23-2013, 06:10 AM
I've had pink china return here for 2years in a row here in 6 places in our z5yard. I'm testing it overwinter in the pond here this year. It does seem to like a swampy place but since I don't have a swampy place in my yard, they do go dry here in the winter. I don't mulch them or anything, but I grow them bigger and then plant them a foot deep when I plant them in the ground. I'll let u know about the one in the pond in the spring!