Heart of The Jungle® Colocasia

Light Needs

Partial Sun to Full Sun

(At Least 5 Hours of Direct Sunlight)

Mature Height

3-5 Feet

Mature Spread

3-5 Feet

Commonly known as Elephant’s Ear or Taro, Colocasia esculenta is a tropical plant that functions as an annual in cold winter climates, and as a perennial in warm winter climates. Adaptable as a woodland edge plant, it is equally at home in a water garden setting and as a border to your walkway or drive. Huge heart shaped leaves are a delight to old and young alike. You will love including this in your garden this year.

Native to Eastern Asia, colocasia loves hot, humid weather. It is a runner, and will quickly fill in a space with additional plants if you let it. Its tall pendulous dark green leaves with distinctive veining provide a wonderful foil to a plethora of color annuals and perennials in your landscape garden, or perform equally well in large containers, either by themselves or as an upright interest with low to medium growing annuals.

Heart of The Jungle Colocasia Care

Care is simple with colocasias. Moist, compost rich soil, regular waterings, and the occasional fertilizer is all you will need to provide to enjoy the spring to summer display. At the end of the season when frost kills the plant, trim the stems and dig up the tubers, wash and dry them and store them in a cool (35 to 45 degree) dark room wrapped in newspaper or stored in peat moss. Bring them out in spring after the danger of the last frost and enjoy the year after year display.

Deadheading is not required, and no pruning is needed unless colocasia starts to exceed its bounds. As a runner, you will have to interrupt the roots and dig out the offending plant, only to gift it to your envious neighbor or plant it elsewhere for an expanded appreciation of its vigor. This is the plant that keeps on giving.

Heart of The Jungle Colocasia Spacing

Spacing is important here due to the size of the plant. Growing up to 5 feet in height and spreading out 3 to 5 feet, give plants 3 to 5 feet of space to allow for the spread that is inevitable. Pair this plant with coleus, caladiums, ferns as well as impatiens for a colorful border or garden bed as this gentle giant will provide these low growing annuals the necessary shade they require.

SKU:

COLHJ