Youve got some beautiful ones! Ive got an indoor as i live in Vermont. But NOW that its almost 3 years old and is more mature, and 4.5 feet tall, im gunna give it some outdoor time this summer. Give her a good JUMP in height! Subscribed!
FRO THE BULB, I HAVE FOUND THAT IF I POT IT WHERE ONLY THE TIP OF THE BULB IS EXPOSED, THEY ROOT MUCH FASTER. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLANT AND ALWAYS WISH I HAD MORE. I MUST WARN EVERYONE THOUGH THAT IF YOUR PLANT DROOPS, WITH THIS PLANT, IT DOES NOT MEAN IT NEEDS A DRINK LIKE THER PLANTS. THIS MEANS IT IS TOO WET
About 15 years ago a friend was moving and gave me what I didn't know at the time as an Alocasia. It had three long stems and tiny little leaves. It now had it's own 24 inch pot and is currently going dormant in my north facing window. It also supports a HUMONGOUS amount of springtails.
Thank you so much for talking about how you care for your plants in the winter months. I live in an area that can get in the 20’s at night during the winter so winter care is a big part of the equation.
I live in Borneo and the Alocasia Borneo King here all grow like weeds. You can see them anywhere. I took 1 cutting from a random plot of land and I cant wait to see her grow 😄
I have a alocasia Wentii which I'm praying I can keep alive. As I live in the UK I have to keep it indoors. I mist it under the leaves 3x a day for humidity and water it when the top 2 inches of soil are dry and keep it in part shade near a north West window so because it's in part shade I put on an ultra violet light for it at night
Sounds like you are doing a good job caring for your alocasia! Have you tried a big pebble tray or maybe a nearby fish tank for added humidity? Plus then the water from water changes will be great for the plants.
We just got colocasia corms that we bought online from a nursery in South Carolina.We plan to plant them out tomorrow. And we do also have an alocasia growing now. It's about 6 ft tall and is sending up new leaves from the center. I overdid it on the order - 16 corms in various sizes, but we have a large back garden so I'm sure I'll find a spot for each of them. We're in sub-tropical zone 11 so we won't need to lift them. Thanks for your clear guidance in the video. esp about shade vs full sun. It's very encouraging!
I bought 2 huge bulbs and need to get them in - would prefer an already grown plant but 💰 have always loved elephant ears - thanks for the video- you have the nicest yard of all the ones I’ve watched
watching my two colocasias in my room surviving the winter with my heater same as me both putting out fat new leaves at the same time such a cool family of plants they bring be so much joy
I'm a palm guy ...but I just ordered a portora and thought I'd give it a shot.... I like the look of the leaves pointing upward!! Any tips would be great! Awesome channel bro I'm glad I found it
Make sure if you live north of zone 7b, to move the plant indoors for the winter, and keep them drier. All elephant ears enjoy compost rich soil. Be aware of mosaic virus infected plants. Palms are awesome too!
My alocasia odora didn't sleep the 1st year. They were huge in a 18 inch pot. I put them in the dark cool basement every fall and don't water them or give them any sun until Spring. They rarely even loose a leaf.
Loved the video. I live in the tropics and I have just started my garden from scratch and on a shoe string. I plucked some alocacia, calocacia (big leaves and flop around, not the tight bunches poitning up) straight from the jungle. Oh yes, I waded in there in my flip flop sandles risking being grabbed by Boa constrictors. It was worthnit though. The plants are now in my garden and, within a weekmof haaving them, they are sprouting babies. Yayyyye. We are going into winter,mour riany season, now, so it rains almost nightly. This makes everything double in size and saves me using precious water to water my plants and the hard work of bringing water to the plants, too. Please lorr videos. Lovely and useful
i know its been 2 years but i just recently discovered I love the giant kind of alocasia and i have just got one from a neighbor... i live in the philippines by the way and ur video is the most helpful i find. I'd like to know more about the diff kinds of alocasia, the giant variety as its kind of trending right now in the philippines but at the same time i think they'r beautiful!!
I’m a new alocasia / calocasia devotee. I bought one large alocasia last year on a whim because of its cool coloration and placed it at my front door. It took the heat and morning sun of summer effortlessly. So I bought 2 more for my patio: alocasia Metalhead and Colocasia Illustris.
Big thumbs up. Really enjoyed the helpful advice and information. Trying to save two girls in my yard and was split on whether to repot or plant near my raised beds out back for some shade. Outdoors it is! Thanks again! Also subbed, love the effervescent yard, it's almost tropical!
I have a ton of different types elephant ears I’m in zone 5-6 .... I just purchased a head size mammoth bulb ..... your video was informative thank you I
Hi Shona, I always do one at 5e end of the season, here’s the one from 2019! ua-cam.com/video/qTqhgmcKaNE/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/nQ84UG82_wM/v-deo.html
I just got one of these plants from my trip to México. At first I had it in a pot with water, no drainage, and it started to rot. Transplanted it to another pot with drainage and hopefully it will grow.
@@TheBarefootedGardener I transplanted it to a bigger pot and it has grown a little. It has two new leaves. I am happy it is surviving the Texas weather.
Alocasia will grow in full sun, for the most part, but the stems will be more compact. In the subtropics or tropics they can grow in wetter spots, but ideally a wetland filter of a koi pond, if they don’t go dormant.
I subscribed and thank you for the information, I really appreciate it! I have an African Mask (Alocasia Polly or Amazonica) & recently I dropped $40 bucks on an Yucatán Princess Alocasia (both are thriving) and the latter, is because I had folks like you to turn to for plant tips. A tremendous Thank you. My Alocasia Yucatan is even sprouting new leaves and has a well developed bulb only two weeks after buying her. She’ll stay in doors 💜💜💜🥰😎
I have had calidora for 4yrs in zone 6, last year it reached 7ft in height in a pot. This year it has develped stem looking root, but leaves weren't that tall. This is my first year for Thailand Gaint and Borneo king.
That’s awesome! Calidora is definitely one of my favorite varieties! Once that corm gets tall enough, in spring, you can chop off the first 5” with the stem, and lay the long piece sideways if you want to get a bunch of extra plants. The end with the plant is planted as normal. Thailand Giant really needs full sun up north and Borneo King will appreciate half a day or more of sun. Happy gardening!
Hi Iris, You’ll be super impressed with how well it grows, but they need to have a lot of compost mixed into the soil. They also like a lot of water during hot weather. If you want it to be crazy big, get an automatic watering timer, and leave the hose just cracked open so it trickles onto the plant for maybe 10-15 minutes, every 2-3 days. It should get *huge* by the time garden walk season happens. I also pot mine up early so they start growing whenever they want. Let me know how it goes!
You rock! I love those/all plants! My EEs are 2yrs old this summer & the bulb has split 3x's and they're gigantic in size 😳 I hope they become super Huge & beyond Fabulous 😂
Your alocasia plants are so beautiful 🙂 My husband used to grow elephant ear plants in a 10x10 ft pond that is used to filter the water / waste from an adjacent koi pond , and they literally took over the pond 🙃 He eventually had to take the plants out, because the roots were so massive that they plugged up the filter system. LOL.
I have an Alocasia California(that's what they're called here in Europe). It is about 3 ft tall and has leafs about a foot in length. It's a love story waiting to be in a book or a film.
My alocasia is HUGE! Its bigger than I am and I am 5'6" so it surprised me when you said they don't grow big. Mine are huge and grows seed pods regularly although I read that only happens on rare occasions. Make me wonder if mine has been crossed with something.
Hello, I’m not sure which cultivars I was referencing. It may be crosse with something but chances are it’s big because it’s getting what it needs. Keep it up!
I watched too many videos, now I have elephant ear fever! Thanks for the tip of Brian’s Botanicals! I have purchased an Odora, Jack’s Giant, Regal Shield, Serendipity, Coffee Cup, Borneo King, and a Red Banana. I have learned so much from your videos, thanks again!
You’re welcome! Tropicals are such enjoyable plants to grow! I grew 17 varieties of just elephant ears at one point. (A bunch didn’t make it through dormancy 🙁) Sounds like a great start to your collection!
@@TheBarefootedGardener Hi, Love the plant. My 1st year going Elephant Ear plants. Would like to expand with other types of big beautiful plants. Do you still have the link or address for Brian's Botanicals.?
Hi Linda, You will love growing them! If you live in a zone colder than zone 8, I’d recommend waiting until spring to grow them in the ground. They will be happy in a larger pot for the rest of the season though! Another great tropical looking plant is Musa basjoo, hardy banana. They like a lot of sun. Here’s the link to Brian’s Botanicals: www.briansbotanicals.net/index.html
Well, you just helped me to understand why mine's not growing. I have it next to an elephant and I water it daily or every other day. I'll move it tomorrow. :)
Holy moley, this is a vid busting with info. Well done! Your plants are loving life. I was searching for the species name of one of my plants and came across it in this vid. Thanks so much!
Purchased a small allocation and I potted it outside brought it in for the winter put it back outside brought it in for the winter and that’s when it grew to 8 feet tall in my bedroom I chopped it, put it in water, but it didn’t really do anything it was kind of dying off, so I threw it out in the yard And I saw it out there for about two weeks and I finally just couldn’t stand it. I put it in a pot outside stayed out there all winter and the following summer it was 4 feet tall now I’ve moved into a loft with 12 foot ceilings and it’s working it’s way up thereand 12 foot windows so it’s a happy
Its early-mid March in zone 6b. I just got a pack of 3 bulbs with a label that doesn’t say WHAT cultivar it is, only that this cultivar does best in full sun so I put a bulb in the ground in a full sun area but just watched a video before yours that says put on shade or at least part shade because the leaves get scorched. So now I am confused and nervous. Also discouraged because I don’t even know if I have an alocasia or Colocasia. 😰 Hoping for the best. Thanks for the vid!
Hm. If it were me, I’d grow it in a pot until maybe Memorial Day. You can have it in full sun for now, certainly until it sprouts; keep it barely moist until they start growing actively. Alocasia can tolerate more shade than Colocasia. I like to grow elephant ears with some shade, because I like their habit better, and they need less water. Chances are, it won’t scorch in full sun, unless it’s a heavily variegated cultivar. You’ll grow it like a champ, you’re welcome!
Stunning, great job!!! I just planted a bulb in an indoor container, searching for care tips now. I am totally going back for more bulbs for my yard this year. LOVE the look! Thank you!!!
Nice informative video. I love Alocasia and have borneo king just this year. You can tell the difference as my borneo giants have all gone dormant in the bathroom window but my Borneo king in the kitchen window still has leaves. I am in the south west of the UK so equivalent zone is say 7 to 8 but very much wetter. From my experience, Alocasia cucullata is the best candidate for growing in water just like Colocasia, it loves it and does not rot. Alocasia wentti too will sit in water happily and has red undersides indicative of shade loving plants. Similarly will lauterbachiana though not too wet so big pot in shallow water dish, too little water and the leaves lose condition rapidly in summer warmth. One of my best is Alocasia sarian with lovely arrow leaves and dark stems they like to be moist not wet and like shade as opposed to sun. I can't grow zebrina though it seems to hate any sun at all and very difficult to get the moisture levels correct for it I have found. I also have the normal and dark stem macrorrhizos, the dark stem very much less hardy (is in the bathroom window) than the green one (still out in the garden) which will take low 30'sF and I have odora the hardiest which is fine in the coldest weather and only brought inside if there is freezing weather
Cool! You’ve definitely got some experience with growing Alocasia! I bought a bulb I thought was odora, it turned out to be a Xanthosoma, and didn’t make it. Very cool about A. culcullata and the Alocasia that enjoy wet conditions! Calidora is one of my favorites. My friend said there are palms growing in London- that’s cool! It definitely has a nice climate! I haven’t tried Zebrina/ amazonica but ‘Black Stem’ or ‘Dark Star’ is intriguing. Thanks for your comment!
That's my dream garden, so beautiful! Yesterday I bought 2 Alocasia California, about 1.5' tall. Now with all the knowledge you shared, hope they can grow as beautiful and healthy as yours. Thanks for your video.
I enjoyed the video. I am growing a Giant Taro that I absolutely love. I keep it in the house. Its not too close to a window nor getting as much light, but it seems to enjoy it.
beautiful garden and pond. one day when i have my own house i want to have a koi pond like that as the center piece of my backyard with beautiful Alocasia ornaments growing around it. Also maybe a separate pond with tilapia for an aquaponics system to grow taro for consumption (along with the tilapia).
Appreciate the info in this video, you've earned a subscriber sir. Quick question, how long can they grow in pots? I have an alocasia macrorrhizo at the moment and I am trying to figure out the best care for it (I live in a 5a zone). Thank you!
Great video! I grow an alocasia in my bog filter and so far so good! It started as a bulb and has produced foliage in 3 groups. I plan on relocating them indoors for the winter. Can those be separated in spring, when I put them back out? I do not have any idea what type I have, except it’s most like your large dark green ones in the beginning of the video. The bulb was about the size of a football.
I had my father pull up some baby elephant ears... I think I got 4 or 5 little bulbs and root.... single and double leaf... I am hopeful that they take to the pots I placed them in... Great Press Keep Pressing Press Harder Press Now
I bought golden shields I paid like $27 for it at the nursery in a I don't know 3 gallon pot and it had some babies so when I repotted it I took the babies and I also took some little teeny tiny bulbs that we're starting to grow I need to check on figure out where I put them. Then I bought another alocasia in a 1 gallon pot at Lowe's for $10 and it was Mark wrong... And then I have the regular generic elephant ears that I bought as bulbs one rotted out I paid $5 for it and I think I started it when it was still too cold outside. The other smaller bulbs are fine. Then I bought tropical storm at Lowe's it has a white streak down the center and is black I also bought another black one but I can't remember the name of it at Lowe's. At the nursery I bought black Ripple and then I bought another black one that isn't quite as shiny and it didn't have a name at the nursery. I bought Blue Hawaii which is gorgeous and huge and it has beautiful painting on the back and the stem is a really pretty Violet purplish color and then I have another one and I can't remember its name and it looks sort of like Blue Hawaii but it is shiny the leaves have a gloss to them and it also has the veining in the back that's beautiful. Both of them got so huge I had to put them in a pot that I can't put my arms around. But if you go to my channel Kathleen Murphy and you add the word orchids coleus houseplants or philodendron you'll find me and I did a repotting video on both of those elephant ears. I love them and I love your channel thank you so much for the information
I got the Alocasia Bolb, don’t know what type it is It is growing wonderfully After cutting of the first leaves that were defeated.! Like your explanation of this plant Thanks
That should be perfect for you, and they can be planted deep in a relatively protected location in spring. If in the future it gets really cold in the winter, you could dump a bag of organic mulch over it for the winter.
Under sad circumstances, I received the elephant ears plant; I'm still trying to tell the difference if it's calocasia or alocasia; I want to make sure I care for it properly. It's already pretty big and it definitely needs to be repotted. Thank you for letting me know how much it needs to be watered.
In general, Colocasia has leaves that point downwards, and have a “matte finish”. Alocasia -generally- has petioles (stems) that look like they merge into the leaf, rather than intersect with a “waxy finish”... if you pause the video when I show the different varieties, this should make more sense.
@@TheBarefootedGardener could it possibly be a mixture? Most of the leaves are pointing downward but does have that beautiful waxed finish you spoke of
You have a beautiful yard. I found your channel because I'm looking for some more tropical inspiration. I always used fertilizer on my blooming plants, but now I recently started using fertilizer on everything else like my elephant ears . They were already in a very rich soil and they're shooting up like crazy.
I made a birdbath one time using a big giant leaf like that as a stamp kind of thing for the concrete and never knew you could grow plants like that in zone 6 which is also where Im at! Where Im at now.
Great informative video. We live in North West corner of South Carolina zone 7 unfortunately we have a mole problem. Do you have any suggestions on cages to protect them ? Thank you
Great plants!!! I grow more indoor than outdoor plants!! My first two Alocasia (Frydek and Black Velvet) should be arriving tomorrow. Next year, I might look into growing some outdoors!! Thanks for the vid and tips.
Thank you for a great video. We live in the uk and grow a few varieties of Alocacia indoors. I’m going to start a new Potodora over winter in the green house (not heated but have insulated it) wrapped up with fleece like my banana. It may go in my studio window cil north facing. I will then pot up in the early summer as soon as I can under some shade, pergola with a grape vine. Any helpful hints are appreciated. Keep up the great videos. Melanie
Hi Melanie, You’re welcome! That should be a great place for your new Portodora. When it’s cool outside/ in the unheated greenhouse, just make sure they’re kept dry, or the bulbs will rot. Indoors, Alocasia also need less water; let the top inch or two of soil dry out before watering. With less light, they need less water. But when you do water, it should be a good soak. Thanks again! Will do.
Hi Brian, Thank you! Yes, I dug them up and replanted every year. It’s not difficult when you mix a lot of compost into the soil, but once dug up, I’d keep the largest ones dormant and super dry, until spring. I’ve had good success potting them up in about 50% compost and 50% the potting mix of your choice. If you have a super bright room with space, or a smaller variety you can try to keep them from going completely dormant. (With a little more water) However I had most of my Alocasia slowly die of mosaic virus because I got a few cheap plants from an unscrupulous company…
San Diego California, zone 10 B. All I have right now is Alocasia Amazonica aka Polly, regal shield and a smallish Borneo king. Also we grow taro (Colocasia esculenta) As a tuber for eating. We have “diamond head” and “Mojito”, but the most common one I found for eating is called “Hawaiian blue”. Predominantly the route can be cooked like a potato. The leaves are also eat in Asia but they have to be cooked beyond recognition.. As they are related to dieffenbachia/ dumb cane, all aroids have a high concentration of calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves. But so does spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens and pretty much any thick leaved, green vegetable… I’ve eaten savory “patra” rolls (Colocasia)from India before and it’s one of my favorite foods. Then I tried making it myself and it was definitely not cooked long enough. It felt like I was swallowing sand and glass for two days. But I didn’t lose my speech, as they say with DUMBcane.. lol
Hi. I noticed you mentioned you live in my area. So I have a couple questions in regards to growing alocacia in SD. I just got a (possible king?) alocacia although it only says alocacia on the sticker. It’s about 6 feet tall with giant leaves. I had no idea these are edible!!! 😃I’m a mostly raw vegan so that’s for me exciting to have added more edible greens with such a cool looking plant. I live in PB, SD. I’m sure you know where PB is. However, my property doesn’t have a whole lot of shade. I’m working on amending the soil here. Before I lived on the property, it was rented for years. The whole thing has gravel everywhere. Mixed with the hard clay SD soil. Do your king alocacias do well in the intense sun here? Do you have more luck planting them or in pots? Thanks in advance by the way.
I started with bulbs. I'm in Houston. So lots of hot sun. But the plants in winter go dormant... Lately I've been throwing leftover food out on the ground to see if it will help.
Great video and beautiful garden! Last year I was given some alocasia bulbs as a gift and I planted them for this season. I wasn't expecting much but they did amazing! But I never could figure out which kind they were. This video really clears things up so thanks for that! I'm working on pulling up all the corms now. Any suggestions on storing them?
Hi Kelsey, Yeah, they are definitely quick growers when happy. Storing dry and in a cool place (40-55°F) until spring. There are lots of different methods that work well. I keep them potted but dry, lots of other people just store the corms in a box, I’ve heard of them being stored bare root under the kitchen sink, etc. although if you’re in zone 7b or warmer, and you planted them in spring you can just leave them in the ground. It’d help to give them a heavy mulch the first few years if you do live in a warmer climate.
Hiya interesting video. I am in uk and have kept my colcasia plant indoors for winter. Can i plant outside for all year round? I have watched other videos and they suggest taking in bulbs for winter. Too much effort taking in and out. Can you advise?
Hello, You’re probably fine to leave it in the ground all year in the UK, just plant it in spring, keep well watered throughout summer, and dump some mulch bags over it after frost. The following spring, you’ll want to spread that mulch pile around to normal thickness.
Southeast Ohio, zone 6b/ 7a? If you plant the plant in spring, and deeper than 7” current grade, in a warm south/ East facing site, you *might* be able to get Calidora, odora, or Borneo Giant to overwinter outside, however you will have to mulch heavily. Like a hefty wheelbarrow full. Stay tuned for spring, I have a handful of alocasia in the ground.
I am in zone 6 also; winter would kill the plant. You have a LoTs of Alocasia in your yard. You pull ALL of that up every end of season, store the bulbs & replant every spring? Thx.
Love your plants there are beautiful, I like how you explain everything on your video. Good look. Keep the good work beautiful yard.
BEAUTIFULL...✨
I live in London and I grow an alocasia indoors all year round in full sun exposure. Beautiful even in winter when dormant. Such a good plant!
How come it doesnt get scorched leaves in full sun? Mine does even if left at sun 3-4 hours 😢
Youve got some beautiful ones! Ive got an indoor as i live in Vermont. But NOW that its almost 3 years old and is more mature, and 4.5 feet tall, im gunna give it some outdoor time this summer. Give her a good JUMP in height!
Subscribed!
Sounds good! I’m sure it’ll work well for you. Thanks for the sub!
FRO THE BULB, I HAVE FOUND THAT IF I POT IT WHERE ONLY THE TIP OF THE BULB IS EXPOSED, THEY ROOT MUCH FASTER. I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS PLANT AND ALWAYS WISH I HAD MORE. I MUST WARN EVERYONE THOUGH THAT IF YOUR PLANT DROOPS, WITH THIS PLANT, IT DOES NOT MEAN IT NEEDS A DRINK LIKE THER PLANTS. THIS MEANS IT IS TOO WET
About 15 years ago a friend was moving and gave me what I didn't know at the time as an Alocasia. It had three long stems and tiny little leaves.
It now had it's own 24 inch pot and is currently going dormant in my north facing window.
It also supports a HUMONGOUS amount of springtails.
Thank you so much for talking about how you care for your plants in the winter months. I live in an area that can get in the 20’s at night during the winter so winter care is a big part of the equation.
Hey Kenny,
Of course! The video wouldn’t be complete without winter care!
Hello, sounds like Michigan 😊
I live in Borneo and the Alocasia Borneo King here all grow like weeds. You can see them anywhere. I took 1 cutting from a random plot of land and I cant wait to see her grow 😄
That’s amazing!! I’m sure it’ll thrive for you!
I have a alocasia Wentii which I'm praying I can keep alive. As I live in the UK I have to keep it indoors. I mist it under the leaves 3x a day for humidity and water it when the top 2 inches of soil are dry and keep it in part shade near a north West window so because it's in part shade I put on an ultra violet light for it at night
Sounds like you are doing a good job caring for your alocasia! Have you tried a big pebble tray or maybe a nearby fish tank for added humidity? Plus then the water from water changes will be great for the plants.
We just got colocasia corms that we bought online from a nursery in South Carolina.We plan to plant them out tomorrow. And we do also have an alocasia growing now. It's about 6 ft tall and is sending up new leaves from the center. I overdid it on the order - 16 corms in various sizes, but we have a large back garden so I'm sure I'll find a spot for each of them. We're in sub-tropical zone 11 so we won't need to lift them. Thanks for your clear guidance in the video. esp about shade vs full sun. It's very encouraging!
Just bought 2 bulbs about to plant them. Thank you for the info.
I bought 2 huge bulbs and need to get them in - would prefer an already grown plant but 💰 have always loved elephant ears - thanks for the video- you have the nicest yard of all the ones I’ve watched
watching my two colocasias in my room surviving the winter with my heater same as me both putting out fat new leaves at the same time
such a cool family of plants they bring be so much joy
I appreciate your energy, vibe and this tutorial, respect!
I'm a palm guy ...but I just ordered a portora and thought I'd give it a shot.... I like the look of the leaves pointing upward!! Any tips would be great! Awesome channel bro I'm glad I found it
Make sure if you live north of zone 7b, to move the plant indoors for the winter, and keep them drier. All elephant ears enjoy compost rich soil. Be aware of mosaic virus infected plants. Palms are awesome too!
I just got my first alocasia yesterday and I was confused on how to water it, but your video helped a ton! Just moist soil 🤞🏾
Hi Christian,
That’s correct. Make sure it is outside for the summer for these guidelines to work. Indoors, they need to be kept drier.
My alocasia odora didn't sleep the 1st year. They were huge in a 18 inch pot. I put them in the dark cool basement every fall and don't water them or give them any sun until Spring. They rarely even loose a leaf.
Your very knowledgeable.
I bought bulbs ( alocasia ) I bought one Colocasia.
I have in pots so I can move into greenhouse during winter.
Loved the video. I live in the tropics and I have just started my garden from scratch and on a shoe string. I plucked some alocacia, calocacia (big leaves and flop around, not the tight bunches poitning up) straight from the jungle. Oh yes, I waded in there in my flip flop sandles risking being grabbed by Boa constrictors. It was worthnit though. The plants are now in my garden and, within a weekmof haaving them, they are sprouting babies. Yayyyye.
We are going into winter,mour riany season, now, so it rains almost nightly. This makes everything double in size and saves me using precious water to water my plants and the hard work of bringing water to the plants, too. Please lorr videos. Lovely and useful
I love these plants an I have tons of them planted in my yard an in containers around house they are Beautiful
Growing my first, brought it from Lowe’s and it’s beautiful
i know its been 2 years but i just recently discovered I love the giant kind of alocasia and i have just got one from a neighbor... i live in the philippines by the way and ur video is the most helpful i find. I'd like to know more about the diff kinds of alocasia, the giant variety as its kind of trending right now in the philippines but at the same time i think they'r beautiful!!
I’m a new alocasia / calocasia devotee. I bought one large alocasia last year on a whim because of its cool coloration and placed it at my front door. It took the heat and morning sun of summer effortlessly. So I bought 2 more for my patio: alocasia Metalhead and Colocasia Illustris.
Love it , I also add elemental sulfer after they dry
Hi Carla,
Interesting. Why is that?
Guy, This is fantastic garden, I just start leaning Toropical garden and your is so impressive.
Thanks so much!
Just bought my first 2!! Plan to put them in the bedroom but will start them off on my patio!
Nice that you showed different age and types of Alocasia. Gave me a good idea where to put my three Alocasia bulbs. Thanks.
Big thumbs up. Really enjoyed the helpful advice and information. Trying to save two girls in my yard and was split on whether to repot or plant near my raised beds out back for some shade. Outdoors it is! Thanks again!
Also subbed, love the effervescent yard, it's almost tropical!
I have a ton of different types elephant ears I’m in zone 5-6 .... I just purchased a head size mammoth bulb ..... your video was informative thank you I
I had never heard of a Colocasia before this video, very informative, thanks!
You’re welcome!
dream jungle garden....your steam is super... pls do a tour of your entire garden
Hi Shona,
I always do one at 5e end of the season, here’s the one from 2019!
ua-cam.com/video/qTqhgmcKaNE/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/nQ84UG82_wM/v-deo.html
I just got one of these plants from my trip to México. At first I had it in a pot with water, no drainage, and it started to rot. Transplanted it to another pot with drainage and hopefully it will grow.
Hi Fernando,
I’d pull it out of the pot and assess the damage. Cut off what is mushy; then keep it barely moist until you see leaves. Buenas suerte!
@@TheBarefootedGardener I transplanted it to a bigger pot and it has grown a little. It has two new leaves. I am happy it is surviving the Texas weather.
I LOVE your little pond/ water feature!! Its beautiful!!
Thanks for the information. I had some wrong info about the alocasia.
I live in Miami, my Alocasia grow nonstop, and are getting HUGE....in about 7 months most have tripled in size....
What’s your setup ? I would love a few along my gate but I wonder if it’s too much direct sun
I am in Miami too, do you have it in full sun.
Alocasia will grow in full sun, for the most part, but the stems will be more compact. In the subtropics or tropics they can grow in wetter spots, but ideally a wetland filter of a koi pond, if they don’t go dormant.
I subscribed and thank you for the information, I really appreciate it! I have an African Mask (Alocasia Polly or Amazonica) & recently I dropped $40 bucks on an Yucatán Princess Alocasia (both are thriving) and the latter, is because I had folks like you to turn to for plant tips. A tremendous Thank you. My Alocasia Yucatan is even sprouting new leaves and has a well developed bulb only two weeks after buying her. She’ll stay in doors 💜💜💜🥰😎
I used water from my fish tank and mine grew to the 2nd floor balcony. Keep the videos coming.
That’s amazing!! Will do!
I have had calidora for 4yrs in zone 6, last year it reached 7ft in height in a pot. This year it has develped stem looking root, but leaves weren't that tall. This is my first year for Thailand Gaint and Borneo king.
That’s awesome! Calidora is definitely one of my favorite varieties! Once that corm gets tall enough, in spring, you can chop off the first 5” with the stem, and lay the long piece sideways if you want to get a bunch of extra plants. The end with the plant is planted as normal. Thailand Giant really needs full sun up north and Borneo King will appreciate half a day or more of sun. Happy gardening!
i'll try chopping the root stem in calidora next season and also plant Thai giant is sunnier spot next year.. Thanks for your help
Totally enjoyed this video. I received a bulb a few months back and it's starting to emerge. Nice and informative
I just purchased a Mammoth Elephant Ear bulb from Sam’s Club. Excited about growing it for the garden walk this year. (Fingers crossed)
Hi Iris,
You’ll be super impressed with how well it grows, but they need to have a lot of compost mixed into the soil. They also like a lot of water during hot weather. If you want it to be crazy big, get an automatic watering timer, and leave the hose just cracked open so it trickles onto the plant for maybe 10-15 minutes, every 2-3 days. It should get *huge* by the time garden walk season happens. I also pot mine up early so they start growing whenever they want. Let me know how it goes!
Thanks Barefooted Gardener! Is there anyway to ensure they will bloom this year?
good for you kid! your parents must be proud. keep up the excellent videos!!!
Western Carolina University has Alocasia that come back every year, but I believe they are in a micro climate. Your garden is excellent.
That would make sense. Thanks William!
I’m growing alocasia “dark star” and she’s beautiful!
I ordered some but they never came. I was so disappointed ☹️
You rock! I love those/all plants! My EEs are 2yrs old this summer & the bulb has split 3x's and they're gigantic in size 😳 I hope they become super Huge & beyond Fabulous 😂
Your alocasia plants are so beautiful 🙂 My husband used to grow elephant ear plants in a 10x10 ft pond that is used to filter the water / waste from an adjacent koi pond , and they literally took over the pond 🙃 He eventually had to take the plants out, because the roots were so massive that they plugged up the filter system. LOL.
6 t
I have an Alocasia California(that's what they're called here in Europe). It is about 3 ft tall and has leafs about a foot in length. It's a love story waiting to be in a book or a film.
Love Alocasia just start my first one with Mojito and Pharoah ‘s mark 😊
Didn't know thailand giant is a cross with alocasia. Thanks for the video!
My alocasia is HUGE! Its bigger than I am and I am 5'6" so it surprised me when you said they don't grow big. Mine are huge and grows seed pods regularly although I read that only happens on rare occasions. Make me wonder if mine has been crossed with something.
Hello, I’m not sure which cultivars I was referencing. It may be crosse with something but chances are it’s big because it’s getting what it needs. Keep it up!
@@TheBarefootedGardener thank you!!😊😊
@@TheBarefootedGardener also I meant my Alocasia whoops
Like your comments on the elephant ear very helpful, thank you.
You’re welcome!
I watched too many videos, now I have elephant ear fever! Thanks for the tip of Brian’s Botanicals! I have purchased an Odora, Jack’s Giant, Regal Shield, Serendipity, Coffee Cup, Borneo King, and a Red Banana. I have learned so much from your videos, thanks again!
You’re welcome! Tropicals are such enjoyable plants to grow! I grew 17 varieties of just elephant ears at one point. (A bunch didn’t make it through dormancy 🙁) Sounds like a great start to your collection!
@@TheBarefootedGardener Hi, Love the plant. My 1st year going Elephant Ear plants. Would like to expand with other types of big beautiful plants. Do you still have the link or address for Brian's Botanicals.?
Hi Linda,
You will love growing them! If you live in a zone colder than zone 8, I’d recommend waiting until spring to grow them in the ground. They will be happy in a larger pot for the rest of the season though! Another great tropical looking plant is Musa basjoo, hardy banana. They like a lot of sun.
Here’s the link to Brian’s Botanicals:
www.briansbotanicals.net/index.html
beautiful plants, amazing alocasia!🌴🌵🪴👍😉☀️
Well, you just helped me to understand why mine's not growing. I have it next to an elephant and I water it daily or every other day. I'll move it tomorrow. :)
Glad to help:)
Holy moley, this is a vid busting with info. Well done! Your plants are loving life. I was searching for the species name of one of my plants and came across it in this vid. Thanks so much!
Purchased a small allocation and I potted it outside brought it in for the winter put it back outside brought it in for the winter and that’s when it grew to 8 feet tall in my bedroom I chopped it, put it in water, but it didn’t really do anything it was kind of dying off, so I threw it out in the yard And I saw it out there for about two weeks and I finally just couldn’t stand it. I put it in a pot outside stayed out there all winter and the following summer it was 4 feet tall now I’ve moved into a loft with 12 foot ceilings and it’s working it’s way up thereand 12 foot windows so it’s a happy
Its early-mid March in zone 6b. I just got a pack of 3 bulbs with a label that doesn’t say WHAT cultivar it is, only that this cultivar does best in full sun so I put a bulb in the ground in a full sun area but just watched a video before yours that says put on shade or at least part shade because the leaves get scorched. So now I am confused and nervous. Also discouraged because I don’t even know if I have an alocasia or Colocasia. 😰
Hoping for the best. Thanks for the vid!
Hm. If it were me, I’d grow it in a pot until maybe Memorial Day. You can have it in full sun for now, certainly until it sprouts; keep it barely moist until they start growing actively. Alocasia can tolerate more shade than Colocasia. I like to grow elephant ears with some shade, because I like their habit better, and they need less water. Chances are, it won’t scorch in full sun, unless it’s a heavily variegated cultivar. You’ll grow it like a champ, you’re welcome!
The Barefooted Gardener i found it on the net and it IS colocasia! 😃 Thank you for taking the time to get back to me. 🌼
Stunning, great job!!! I just planted a bulb in an indoor container, searching for care tips now.
I am totally going back for more bulbs for my yard this year. LOVE the look! Thank you!!!
Nice informative video. I love Alocasia and have borneo king just this year. You can tell the difference as my borneo giants have all gone dormant in the bathroom window but my Borneo king in the kitchen window still has leaves. I am in the south west of the UK so equivalent zone is say 7 to 8 but very much wetter. From my experience, Alocasia cucullata is the best candidate for growing in water just like Colocasia, it loves it and does not rot. Alocasia wentti too will sit in water happily and has red undersides indicative of shade loving plants. Similarly will lauterbachiana though not too wet so big pot in shallow water dish, too little water and the leaves lose condition rapidly in summer warmth. One of my best is Alocasia sarian with lovely arrow leaves and dark stems they like to be moist not wet and like shade as opposed to sun. I can't grow zebrina though it seems to hate any sun at all and very difficult to get the moisture levels correct for it I have found. I also have the normal and dark stem macrorrhizos, the dark stem very much less hardy (is in the bathroom window) than the green one (still out in the garden) which will take low 30'sF and I have odora the hardiest which is fine in the coldest weather and only brought inside if there is freezing weather
Cool! You’ve definitely got some experience with growing Alocasia! I bought a bulb I thought was odora, it turned out to be a Xanthosoma, and didn’t make it. Very cool about A. culcullata and the Alocasia that enjoy wet conditions! Calidora is one of my favorites. My friend said there are palms growing in London- that’s cool! It definitely has a nice climate! I haven’t tried Zebrina/ amazonica but ‘Black Stem’ or ‘Dark Star’ is intriguing. Thanks for your comment!
thank u , hon. ur vids r so informative!!GOD bless u and ur
beautiful garden!!!!
Hi !
Alocasia is my favorite plant.
Good video you did there 👍
That's my dream garden, so beautiful! Yesterday I bought 2 Alocasia California, about 1.5' tall. Now with all the knowledge you shared, hope they can grow as beautiful and healthy as yours. Thanks for your video.
I enjoyed the video. I am growing a Giant Taro that I absolutely love. I keep it in the house. Its not too close to a window nor getting as much light, but it seems to enjoy it.
😍😍😍😍 beautiful garden--Love nature😍
Nice video! This year I am adding more varieties of Elephant ears in my garden. Can't wait to see how they will turn out!
beautiful garden and pond. one day when i have my own house i want to have a koi pond like that as the center piece of my backyard with beautiful Alocasia ornaments growing around it. Also maybe a separate pond with tilapia for an aquaponics system to grow taro for consumption (along with the tilapia).
Hello, yes I started with a bulb they reached almost 5 ft tall😊
Appreciate the info in this video, you've earned a subscriber sir. Quick question, how long can they grow in pots? I have an alocasia macrorrhizo at the moment and I am trying to figure out the best care for it (I live in a 5a zone). Thank you!
Have elephant ear (jumbo) bulbs... Do do recommend soaking bulbs in bucket until they show sprouting, then plant?
Love the vid would like to hear more about the zones people are in, I’m in San Diego and have both colo and alo
Great video! I grow an alocasia in my bog filter and so far so good! It started as a bulb and has produced foliage in 3 groups. I plan on relocating them indoors for the winter. Can those be separated in spring, when I put them back out? I do not have any idea what type I have, except it’s most like your large dark green ones in the beginning of the video. The bulb was about the size of a football.
I had my father pull up some baby elephant ears...
I think I got 4 or 5 little bulbs and root.... single and double leaf...
I am hopeful that they take to the pots I placed them in...
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I bought golden shields I paid like $27 for it at the nursery in a I don't know 3 gallon pot and it had some babies so when I repotted it I took the babies and I also took some little teeny tiny bulbs that we're starting to grow I need to check on figure out where I put them. Then I bought another alocasia in a 1 gallon pot at Lowe's for $10 and it was Mark wrong... And then I have the regular generic elephant ears that I bought as bulbs one rotted out I paid $5 for it and I think I started it when it was still too cold outside. The other smaller bulbs are fine. Then I bought tropical storm at Lowe's it has a white streak down the center and is black I also bought another black one but I can't remember the name of it at Lowe's. At the nursery I bought black Ripple and then I bought another black one that isn't quite as shiny and it didn't have a name at the nursery. I bought Blue Hawaii which is gorgeous and huge and it has beautiful painting on the back and the stem is a really pretty Violet purplish color and then I have another one and I can't remember its name and it looks sort of like Blue Hawaii but it is shiny the leaves have a gloss to them and it also has the veining in the back that's beautiful. Both of them got so huge I had to put them in a pot that I can't put my arms around. But if you go to my channel Kathleen Murphy and you add the word orchids coleus houseplants or philodendron you'll find me and I did a repotting video on both of those elephant ears. I love them and I love your channel thank you so much for the information
I got the Alocasia Bolb, don’t know what type it is
It is growing wonderfully
After cutting of the first leaves that were defeated.!
Like your explanation of this plant
Thanks
Thanks for sharing, how would I winterize my ALOCASIA
Depends on how it’s growing and where you live- I’d need more info before I can help you out.
Suburb of Atlanta, in pots now placed in garage
That should be perfect for you, and they can be planted deep in a relatively protected location in spring. If in the future it gets really cold in the winter, you could dump a bag of organic mulch over it for the winter.
Under sad circumstances, I received the elephant ears plant; I'm still trying to tell the difference if it's calocasia or alocasia; I want to make sure I care for it properly. It's already pretty big and it definitely needs to be repotted. Thank you for letting me know how much it needs to be watered.
In general, Colocasia has leaves that point downwards, and have a “matte finish”. Alocasia -generally- has petioles (stems) that look like they merge into the leaf, rather than intersect with a “waxy finish”... if you pause the video when I show the different varieties, this should make more sense.
@@TheBarefootedGardener could it possibly be a mixture? Most of the leaves are pointing downward but does have that beautiful waxed finish you spoke of
Thank you, this actually helped me with my colocasia. I may consider watering it more or planting it in my turtle tank.
Just be mindful that turtles will almost certainly eat & rip them up.
Nice💚... I'm gonna need your help in the near future
You have a beautiful yard. I found your channel because I'm looking for some more tropical inspiration. I always used fertilizer on my blooming plants, but now I recently started using fertilizer on everything else like my elephant ears . They were already in a very rich soil and they're shooting up like crazy.
Thank you! I’ll do my best to provide some inspiration! Just be sure that you don’t give them a lot of fertilizer as the weather gets colder.
Love it. Have been growing colocasia and Have to try alocasias now!
I made a birdbath one time using a big giant leaf like that as a stamp kind of thing for the concrete and never knew you could grow plants like that in zone 6 which is also where Im at! Where Im at now.
I just bought bulbs for the first time this year!!!
Awesome! You’ll do great with them!
I appreciate that you share your knowledge and experience!!!
You are awesome. Alot of knowledge in your head. Thanks for being so detailed.
Thanks for the help I love elephant ears!!!
Great informative video. We live in North West corner of South Carolina zone 7 unfortunately we have a mole problem. Do you have any suggestions on cages to protect them ?
Thank you
Apparently permatill helps. Plant Delights Nursery had a mole problem apparently, and that solved it for them.
Awesome video! Thank you :) subscribed!
very nice thanks for sharing 👍
You deserve two big thumbs up, but one is allowed 🤗🤗🤗. Thanks
Thanks Thalia!
Great plants!!! I grow more indoor than outdoor plants!! My first two Alocasia (Frydek and Black Velvet) should be arriving tomorrow. Next year, I might look into growing some outdoors!! Thanks for the vid and tips.
Woow ma Sha ALLAH Very beautiful plants 🌿 Thanks for sharing 👍🌿🌱🌷
YES!
I LOVE YOUR VIDEO
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Thank you for a great video. We live in the uk and grow a few varieties of Alocacia indoors. I’m going to start a new Potodora over winter in the green house (not heated but have insulated it) wrapped up with fleece like my banana. It may go in my studio window cil north facing. I will then pot up in the early summer as soon as I can under some shade, pergola with a grape vine. Any helpful hints are appreciated. Keep up the great videos. Melanie
Hi Melanie,
You’re welcome! That should be a great place for your new Portodora. When it’s cool outside/ in the unheated greenhouse, just make sure they’re kept dry, or the bulbs will rot. Indoors, Alocasia also need less water; let the top inch or two of soil dry out before watering. With less light, they need less water. But when you do water, it should be a good soak. Thanks again! Will do.
thanks for the tips i have new one now alocasia giant hi your new friend here
Hi there! Great video! Thank you for sharing
Hi Brian,
Thank you! Yes, I dug them up and replanted every year. It’s not difficult when you mix a lot of compost into the soil, but once dug up, I’d keep the largest ones dormant and super dry, until spring. I’ve had good success potting them up in about 50% compost and 50% the potting mix of your choice. If you have a super bright room with space, or a smaller variety you can try to keep them from going completely dormant. (With a little more water)
However I had most of my Alocasia slowly die of mosaic virus because I got a few cheap plants from an unscrupulous company…
San Diego California, zone 10 B. All I have right now is Alocasia Amazonica aka Polly, regal shield and a smallish Borneo king.
Also we grow taro (Colocasia esculenta) As a tuber for eating. We have “diamond head” and “Mojito”, but the most common one I found for eating is called “Hawaiian blue”. Predominantly the route can be cooked like a potato. The leaves are also eat in Asia but they have to be cooked beyond recognition.. As they are related to dieffenbachia/ dumb cane, all aroids have a high concentration of calcium oxalate crystals in the leaves. But so does spinach, Swiss chard, collard greens and pretty much any thick leaved, green vegetable…
I’ve eaten savory “patra” rolls (Colocasia)from India before and it’s one of my favorite foods. Then I tried making it myself and it was definitely not cooked long enough. It felt like I was swallowing sand and glass for two days. But I didn’t lose my speech, as they say with DUMBcane.. lol
Hi. I noticed you mentioned you live in my area. So I have a couple questions in regards to growing alocacia in SD. I just got a (possible king?) alocacia although it only says alocacia on the sticker. It’s about 6 feet tall with giant leaves. I had no idea these are edible!!! 😃I’m a mostly raw vegan so that’s for me exciting to have added more edible greens with such a cool looking plant. I live in PB, SD. I’m sure you know where PB is. However, my property doesn’t have a whole lot of shade. I’m working on amending the soil here. Before I lived on the property, it was rented for years. The whole thing has gravel everywhere. Mixed with the hard clay SD soil. Do your king alocacias do well in the intense sun here? Do you have more luck planting them or in pots? Thanks in advance by the way.
I started with bulbs. I'm in Houston. So lots of hot sun. But the plants in winter go dormant...
Lately I've been throwing leftover food out on the ground to see if it will help.
Great video and beautiful garden! Last year I was given some alocasia bulbs as a gift and I planted them for this season. I wasn't expecting much but they did amazing! But I never could figure out which kind they were. This video really clears things up so thanks for that! I'm working on pulling up all the corms now. Any suggestions on storing them?
Hi Kelsey,
Yeah, they are definitely quick growers when happy. Storing dry and in a cool place (40-55°F) until spring. There are lots of different methods that work well. I keep them potted but dry, lots of other people just store the corms in a box, I’ve heard of them being stored bare root under the kitchen sink, etc. although if you’re in zone 7b or warmer, and you planted them in spring you can just leave them in the ground. It’d help to give them a heavy mulch the first few years if you do live in a warmer climate.
Hiya interesting video. I am in uk and have kept my colcasia plant indoors for winter. Can i plant outside for all year round? I have watched other videos and they suggest taking in bulbs for winter. Too much effort taking in and out. Can you advise?
Hello, You’re probably fine to leave it in the ground all year in the UK, just plant it in spring, keep well watered throughout summer, and dump some mulch bags over it after frost. The following spring, you’ll want to spread that mulch pile around to normal thickness.
very helpful video, what species can handle southeast ohio winters ? I dont want to bother digging up every winter .
Southeast Ohio, zone 6b/ 7a? If you plant the plant in spring, and deeper than 7” current grade, in a warm south/ East facing site, you *might* be able to get Calidora, odora, or Borneo Giant to overwinter outside, however you will have to mulch heavily. Like a hefty wheelbarrow full. Stay tuned for spring, I have a handful of alocasia in the ground.
I am in zone 6 also; winter would kill the plant. You have a LoTs of Alocasia in your yard. You pull ALL of that up every end of season, store the bulbs & replant every spring? Thx.
Yes, I do dig up the alocasia. I don’t store them fully dormant until the second season. It takes me a few hours in spring and fall.
Amazing plants, great info thanks