Elephant Ears in The Tropical Paradise continue to grow

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Just when I think that my Elephant Ears (colocasia) can't get any bigger, they do. Here in the Phoenix, Arizona area, they suffer during the hot summers and the cold of the winter. In the summer, they tend to sunburn around the leaf edges, and temperatures below 20F knock them down, but they don't die. I've cut these plants down to the ground many times, and they come back even stronger. And, like any other bulb plant, they multiply, so you can dig some up and share them with your friends!

What colocaias like is water. Any plant that has the characteristic shape of the point at the end of the leaf is a plant that has evolved around water, and lots of it. The shape of the leaf allows the water to drain off. Interestingly enough, the shape of the stem allows water to be held. I like to add a mixture of water-soluble plant food and Super Thrive™ in a watering can and pour it into the stem area and base. You really can't over-water and over-feed these plants! They will look great here until about December, and the first hard frost will hurt them, make them wilt, and they will start growing again in spring.

They look their best in fall, like right now!

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