I have had Elephant Ears for years. I never knew they 'bloomed' until I read it on here one day. I had never had any bloom. Then a couple of weeks later, mine BLOOMED! I was so surprized and pleased. I took this a week or more ago, and have had several more bloom. About the time one is wilting, another one opens up. SO COOL. It is the yellow bloom in the middle of the plant. Not the yellow on the right, that's a water hose. :-))
That's extra cool - first time I've seen the large Colocasia bloom, although I've seen the smaller ones with runners bloom. Thanks for sharing the picture!
Is that Colocasia gigantea.
Folks here call the flower "pua kalo" (taro flower). It is sliced up into cooked dishes for spice.
Really, used in dishes. How interesting! I don't know of the technical name of it. I bought a large bulb this spring. Was suppose to be 11-14 inch ears. These are more like 24"!
Yes!
Curries, stir fried rice, sauteed vegetables.
As it contains a little oxalate, be sure to cook it well.
In a sauce, start cooking the flowers along with onions, peppers, and ginger at the beginning of a recipe.
Wow ... first time I've seen that. Congrats, Crit!
Yesterday an Indian (India, not American) coworker let me try a dish he brought from home. It was fantastic but I'm a fanatic about anything that contains curry. It was made from the young leaves that he grows at home. The leaves are spread with a thin paste made of flour, curry and minced onion then rolled tightly and thoroughly steamed. When fully cooked the rolls are cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Going to have to give it a go here.
I'll say ... sounds delish!
That flower looks more like C. esculenta than a C. gigantea.
I'm curious about this now. I always buy the elephant ear bulbs, but someone was talking about seeds. I haven't cut off the pod where the flowers bloomed and wondered if it is making something useful there
I am going to try leaving my EE in the ground this winter. We have what seems like a ton of leaves come down and so will mulch the EE heavily and thickly with them. We'll see how it goes. I only have two back there in that area right now so it won't be horrific if I lose them.
I have left my EE in the ground here and they were fine. The ones in the 1/2 whiskey barrell however turned to mush. Not enough protection in the barrels or pots, but ground was fine and I didn't even mulch them. Mine are all in pots except 1
That's great to know. What is your zone, Crit?
I'm in 7a
Last year my EE bloomed had seeds and this year I have gave away 40 Thailand giants but my mother plant looks ruff.
Seeds were put in big oblong container with dirt last year and did not come up till june this year. I had forgotten about them then they were everywhere. I have 30 or 40 left.
Will send you one for $2:00 postage if anyone is interested
Lavina
Lavina --
I am interested so please save me two. I'll put my $4 postage money in the mail tomorrow. I'll Dmail you for your address.
Thanks so much ... I was going to buy one or two next Spring so this is great!!! Much appreciated.
Carole :-)
do the seeds generate in the 'pod' that is left after the bloom. Do you let the pod dry completely or what?
Yelp seed grow in pod, look like tiny bubbles with black spots
I let mine dry a little then sprinkled on dirt then put little dirt on top
Crit, if you want to know about the seeds you can read a complete explanation here written by aroid expert Julius Boos. There are both unisexual and bisexual aroid genera and both are explained.:
http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Natural%20and%20artificial%20pollination%20in%20aroids.html
Steve
Thanks! ! ! !
