Elephant Ears
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- CJ_IS_HERE
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RE: Elephant Ears
So those giants will return if they die back? Do I need to cut them off to the ground or just let them grow and then clean up the earlier seasons mess later?
Blessings,
Blessings,
- Roy
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- Location: Tampa, Florida, USA,............Florida's SunCoast <Zone 9B-10A>
Re: RE: Elephant Ears
That's alright. He's a good man. Well will adopt him. Just got to get him to Florida. He's been having too many hurricanes come his way.Flashburn wrote:Man, I must be losing my noodles. I would have sworn he was in Florida.
--------------------------
Roy Rogers
Southern Tampania de la Floridana Universidad (STFU)
STFU Motto: All Bamboos are not Created Equal; @ STFU, the Search Continues
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ROY'S BAMBOO LIST
Roy Rogers
Southern Tampania de la Floridana Universidad (STFU)
STFU Motto: All Bamboos are not Created Equal; @ STFU, the Search Continues
**********
ROY'S BAMBOO LIST
RE: Elephant Ears
Boonut do they get bigger every year even with winter die back? THe regular ones eventually get as big as the ones in the pot but that is about it. Heck they are weeds around here all over the Guadalupe river. And they get anoyed if you do not water them enough. Had some at my last place that popped up 60' from where I planted them on the other side of a 30' slab to enjoy my neibour's over running septic tank.made a nice big clump on top of it.
MarCat
PS no you stay in Texas got to have some one show up them Floridians.
MarCat
PS no you stay in Texas got to have some one show up them Floridians.
- boonut
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- Location: Harlingen, TX Zone 10, Sunset Zone 27. 33' above sea level. 27 inches of rain/year. 22 Miles to the Laguna Madre. 27 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. 17 miles from Mexico. Lower Rio Grande Valley - Deep South Texas
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RE: Elephant Ears
They do seem to get larger each year. They only died back to the ground one year since I planted them. The one I have is supposed to be one of the largest. It should really get large this year.
I will post pics later in the year.
I will post pics later in the year.
- boonut
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- Location: Harlingen, TX Zone 10, Sunset Zone 27. 33' above sea level. 27 inches of rain/year. 22 Miles to the Laguna Madre. 27 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. 17 miles from Mexico. Lower Rio Grande Valley - Deep South Texas
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Re: RE: Elephant Ears
I am really in Deeeeeeep South Texas. We are about the same latitude as Naples, Florida. Here is a link to a map showing where I am...Roy wrote:That's alright. He's a good man. Well will adopt him. Just got to get him to Florida. He's been having too many hurricanes come his way.Flashburn wrote:Man, I must be losing my noodles. I would have sworn he was in Florida.
http://www.boonut.info/zones/zonemaps.html
No one ever passes through for a visit... unless they were going to Mexico.
RE: Elephant Ears
The 'Borneo Giant' has the second largest leaves of all plants coming in second only to another alocasia. Alocasias and colocasias all do well until the low 40's to 30's. They will die back but will also reemerge in the spring to do it all over again. I have recently been bitten by the aroid bug as they compliment bamboo really well. Check out the colocasia 'black magic' too. Looks really great next to B. text. 'mutab'. Boonut, your plants look great!! I have 32 varieties but they are all much smaller than your borneo. Can't wait to get to that size. Thanks for the link too.
-shu
- boonut
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- Location: Harlingen, TX Zone 10, Sunset Zone 27. 33' above sea level. 27 inches of rain/year. 22 Miles to the Laguna Madre. 27 miles to the Gulf of Mexico. 17 miles from Mexico. Lower Rio Grande Valley - Deep South Texas
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RE: Elephant Ears
My Borneo is just about 4 feet this year. It didn't die back, but the leaves got smaller in the winter. I put it in the ground this past year, so I am excited to see how large it will grow in the ground.
I am waiting also to see just how large it will get. I looked up the colocasia "black magic". Looks very interesting. I may have had one a few years ago... it was black and fairly good size. I don't remember what happened to it. I give away a lot of plants... so you never know.
I am waiting also to see just how large it will get. I looked up the colocasia "black magic". Looks very interesting. I may have had one a few years ago... it was black and fairly good size. I don't remember what happened to it. I give away a lot of plants... so you never know.
Re: Elephant Ears
So for those of us in colder climates, when do we dig up the Colocasia bulbs? We just barely got below freezing 3 or 4 weeks ago and that curled most of the leaves, but since then it's been above freezing. There are a couple of leaves left on each plant, and the one plant even looks like it's trying to put out a new leaf. Do I wait until all of the green is gone (leafs and stems)?
Assuming I figure out the right time to dig them, do I then let them dry out a bit before storing? What about separating any "pups" -- what's the right way and when's the right time to do that?
These are all in pots, and leaving them in the pots all winter (in the garage) is probably not an option.
Assuming I figure out the right time to dig them, do I then let them dry out a bit before storing? What about separating any "pups" -- what's the right way and when's the right time to do that?
These are all in pots, and leaving them in the pots all winter (in the garage) is probably not an option.
Alan.
My blog: It's not work, it's gardening!
My blog: It's not work, it's gardening!
- JWH
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Re: Elephant Ears
I'm giving Elephant ears a try here for the first time. Mostly Colocasias, but also a few Alocasias. I'm planning on growing them in pots on the deck over the summer, and overwintering in a mostly unheated greenhouse. It usually stays above freezing in there except during the few arctic blasts we usually get, then I run a small electric heater to keep it just above freezing. I might bring the alocasias indoors for winter and grow as houseplants.
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Re: Elephant Ears
I keep mine in pots all year and bring them in as houseplants. They grow inside all winter quite well in a bright room. My alocasia seem to be getting "trunks" and do the best inside, colocasia seem to stall indoors a bit but still do well IMO. I dont always have a decent growing season, so this makes it so that I have a huge headstart!
Why wouldnt you grow them in the ground there? Some faster draining soil and some protection of the corms should make it survive ok.
Why wouldnt you grow them in the ground there? Some faster draining soil and some protection of the corms should make it survive ok.
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- JWH
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Re: Elephant Ears
I'll probably try some in-ground around the bananas, I got a big bag of baseball sized tubers from Lowes to experiment with The rest are small TC'd plants from a mail order nursery.canadianplant wrote:Why wouldnt you grow them in the ground there? Some faster draining soil and some protection of the corms should make it survive ok.
I dont have much luck overwintering other tropical tubers like cannas, and callas in-ground. I suspect its the heavy autumn and winter rain along with the cold soil that ends up rotting them. The soil is glacial till around here (sand, gravel, cobble, and massive boulders.) Excellent drainage! So I dont think its just a drainage issue. This year i'll try mulch & plastic sheeting to keep all the rain off.
Re: Elephant Ears
I've found most Colocasias to be extremely easy to overwinter as bare tubers in the garage. I have so many now it's crazy.
Alan.
My blog: It's not work, it's gardening!
My blog: It's not work, it's gardening!
Re: Elephant Ears
I have one Bac Ha plant growing, but it seems to be a dwarf version and doesn't seem to enjoy the sun too much.
I knew there must be a different variety that can grow big because they sell those giant stems in Asian supermarkets.
Anyway, I just found this clip on Youtube where they farm Bah Ha plants in Hawaii. They are quite impressive looking. Anyone has this plant?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju3SEaIXXK8
I knew there must be a different variety that can grow big because they sell those giant stems in Asian supermarkets.
Anyway, I just found this clip on Youtube where they farm Bah Ha plants in Hawaii. They are quite impressive looking. Anyone has this plant?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju3SEaIXXK8
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Re: Elephant Ears
"I dont have much luck overwintering other tropical tubers like ..........callas in-ground."
JWH - Try the Calla called 'Crowborough', I saw it growing out of a compost heap in St. John's, Newfoundland so it must tolerate winter wet, and cold too. Said to be the hardiest one back in good old cold days.
john
JWH - Try the Calla called 'Crowborough', I saw it growing out of a compost heap in St. John's, Newfoundland so it must tolerate winter wet, and cold too. Said to be the hardiest one back in good old cold days.
john
johnw coastal Nova Scotia
- needmore
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Re: Elephant Ears
My big Thai giant I think it is appears to be about to flower, does that usually mean die off on these guys or do they just flower and continue to grow leaves normally?
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
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