Winter Aroid Care

Many of us have developed quite a fondness for tropicals (obviously, we're in the Tropicals forum) and many of us have thoroughly fallen in love with aroids, specifically those often called by the phrase "Elephant ears." Myself, I have over 20 species of various Xanthosoma, Alocasia and Colocasia plants yet have next to no idea how to best care for many of them. Almost needless to say, most of these species are new to my collection this year.

Big question number first .... which 'Ears are durable "tuber" type plants that can be stripped of their foliage and loose roots in the winter, and which are the tender types that need to remain potted and watched over more closely? As time goes on I want to compile a database of detailed care instructions for this group of aroids to post here, and any other horticultural site that would care to post it. All I know is that I am obsessed with these plants and just as much obsessed with wanting to know as much about them as possible. Anyhow ........

Here's a list of what I have, perhaps that might serve as a starting point. (below is a re-post of something related to the subject from bwilliams)

Alocasia
A. amazonica 'Polly'
A. amazonica ‘Purplee'
A. brancifolia
A. bullata (guttatta)
A. crassifolia
A. culculata
A. Frydek
A. macrorhiza
A. odora
A. Robusta
A. sinuata, large form
A. sinuata bullata
A. 'William's Hybrid'


Colocasia
C. antiquorum 'Illustris'
C. esculenta 'Black Magic' (looks to be more a runner than a clumper)
C. esculenta (an heirloom ‘ear nicknamed 'Plasma Lime' for the richly swirled patterns in the minor veins of the mature leaves)
Colocasia Unnamed/unknown “Pink China”

Xanthosoma
X. sagittofolia
X. unknown
X. violaceum

From an earlier post in another thread:

Will start with the hardest ones and go from their. The ones below labled hardest well they are just picky. They are like me or you if you are chilly they dont like it either. They like very warm temps nothing under 55f and they should do well. Also they do not like to much water. Just let them dry out between watering. If it does get chilly keep them dry but they cannot handle it for to long a time.

hardest to grow for most
A. brancifolia
A. bullata (guttatta)
A. sinuata bullata
A. amazonica 'Polly'
A. amazonica ‘Purplee'

Fairly easy and all these forms can be put out in the ground for summer
A. crassifolia
A. culculata
A. Frydek
A. macrorhiza
A. odora
A. Robusta likes it warmer than most and can rot if cool
A. sinuata, large form
A. 'William's Hybrid' My hybrid of amazonica with macrorrhiza

I am digging all this info.
Thank you!!!

Go figure .... some of my favorites are in the "finicky" category ... and are in the ground, ta'boot. Well, that sorta explains why the Brancifolia has been doing so poorly.

Brian, thanks a million!

So, of those listed, which are "bulbous" and therefore candidates for much easier winter storage?

Easiest bulbous forms meaning you can store these no leaves no problem

A. culculata
A. macrorhiza
A. odora
A. 'William's Hybrid
A. crassifolia
A. sinuata, large form
A. Frydek

this list is from easiest to hardest they can all be stored this way but the bottom ones might be harder to wake up. Sometimes they can take sometime to come out of a dormant state. Also Portdora should be mentioned it is a very good grower fast big and can take a lot of abuse. I have three forms of this old hybrid now just recently got it. Here is a pic of one that is hard to find. I will go into more detail with that later.

Funny you should put Frydek last ... that thing has been amazingly funky for me. Looked like it slowly wilted and died back, got down to nuttin, and this week she just sprang back to life. My theory is that it wants to flirt with the cute little dwarf Caladium I put next to it a few days ago to color up the seeming deadness of the area.

Yeah, I've been trying to talk a few people out of a Portodora. I am hoping that Ric will hook me up with one for few bags of odd-ball seeds that I have in my collection.

If you were a woman I would consider that post rather inappropriate ... lol

Thou temptest me so!

Thanks for that shopping/wish list Buck!

Of course, care may differ in different zones right? I am new to these, started collecting last year and had many new additions last fall thanks to a generous Badseed , (who'd a thunk it, CA gal gets her tropic fix from OH!) I left those donated ones all out in a large storage container of peat moss (all small enough) over winter in a sheltered corner next to the house, (we only had one early frost in Nov), then I potted them up. Some were very slow to emerge, in fact I thought I lost my big Illustrus and planted a Black Stem in its pot and and low and behold what should show up when it got warmer?!

We do not get any humidity here either so some got burnt edges on the leaves even if watered daily. I do want to put many in the ground, just so they can hopefully reach their full potential but I guess I have to be selective with lighting and try for a spot more sheltered from the full sun. I am constantly scourering the neighborhoods when I go places to see what others may have in the ground, not much, mostly A. odora I think.
Oh and any special fertilizing? I recently added those large tree and shrub tabs to some of the larger potted ones so I will see if that is benefial.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions and temptations!

**

Nice alocasia macrorrhiza lutea and Xanthosoma atroverins blue giant.

Thanks Brian.
This is the info we in the lower zones need.

I over-winter most of my Alocasia in pots in a cool GH.
The ones that show growth I water VERY occasionally.

The others 'Bako Park', 'Polly', plumbea, etc go dormant so they just get piled in a corner. No water till I can get the night temps up over 60.

I need to get a list up of what I have floating around.

Sue is that one of Enid's 'Lutea'?

Ric

yes Ric it is. Here it is on arrival with Penny trying to figure out whats up. Such a nice size she sends!
One leaf has gotten a bit burnt once I placed it outside so I removed it and now another is emerging.

Thanks again, as this is the exact sort of information I am looking for at the moment. As I probably mentioned, I don't have a greenhouse, and probably won't be able to pull that off for some time to come.

Here's the rub .... the ONE and only room I have inside with any space *and* some light would be the dining room. It's not all that large and gets decent lighting from sunrise til about noon. I hope the wife is going to be cool with the fact that it is getting taken over for the winter. I figure if I help her distribute the plants around the house the rare times we need that room (and help return them the next day) it should be alright. The lack of greenhouse has been the demise of many a plant collection over the years (orchid collections, tillandia/bromeliad collections, etc.)

Here's my list.
Some of the names may be out of date.
I really must get in and update my database:

Alocasia advincula
Alocasia amazonica 'Polly'
Alocasia 'Bako Park'
Alocasia clypeolata 'Green Shield'
Alocasia cuprea
Alocasia longiloba
Alocasia macrorrhiza
Alocasia macrorrhiza 'Borneo Giant'
Alocasia macrorrhiza 'Lisa's'
Alocasia macrorrhiza 'Lutea'
Alocasia macrorrhiza 'New Guinea Gold'
Alocasia odora
Alocasia odora 'California'
Alocasia plumbea 'Metalica'
Alocasia 'Portora'
Alocasia robusta
Alocasia sinuata "Bullata"
Alocasia x Amazonica
Caladium bicolor 15 cultivars
Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta "Fontanesii"
Colocasia esculenta 'Big Dipper'
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Runner'
Colocasia esculenta 'Bloody Mary'
Colocasia esculenta 'Burgundy Stem'
Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum 'Illustris'
Colocasia esculenta 'Violet Stem'
Colocasia esculent 'Red Stem'
Colocasia fallax
Monstera deliciosa
Monstera stiltepecana
Philodendron bipinnatifidum
Philodendron 'Brasil'
Philodendron cordatum 'Micans'
Philodendron domesticum variegatum
Philodendron 'Florida Beauty' Variegated
Philodendron 'Prince of Orange'
Philodendron 'Xanadu'
Pothos (5 types whatever they are listed as now? lol)
Remusatia vivipara
Spathiphyllum 5 types
Xanthosoma jeoquinii linetum
Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Xanthosoma violaceum
Zantedeschia aethiopica
Zantedeschia aethiopica 'Black Pearl'

I have several more currently on order or being shipped.

Buck, have you a porch?
I am a wizard at cheap enclosures.
We over-wintered all the big guns and 4 banana trees on ours.

Ric

Ric, I DO have a porch! Hook a crackah up!

(by the way... after reviewing your list only one thing kept coming to mind, "That dude's got issues!")

Maybe I can send Chele over to Ric's for a midnight raid on his Big Dipper before she packs up my package. It's not like she's busy or anything! Shhhhh...

Okay, here's a list of the "elephant ear" types listed thus far, many of which we now have some information on. I will compile all of this data on the opening post of this thread later this weekend/next week.

In the meantime (Brian, or whomever else has experience), please point out any of these listed which do NOT necessarily require a dormancy period.

A. advincula
A. amazonica ‘Purplee'
A. amazonica 'Polly'
A. 'Bako Park'
A. brancifolia
A. bullata (guttatta)
A. clypeolata 'Green Shield'
A. crassifolia
A. culculata
A. cuprea
A. Frydek
A. longiloba
A. macrorrhiza
A. macrorrhiza 'Borneo Giant'
A. macrorrhiza 'Lisa's'
A. macrorrhiza 'Lutea'
A. macrorrhiza 'New Guinea Gold'
A. odora
A. odora 'California'
A. plumbea 'Metalica'
A. 'Portora'
A. Robusta
A. sinuata bullata
A. sinuata, large form
A. 'William's Hybrid'
C. antiquorum 'Illustris'
C. esculenta
C. esculenta "Fontanesii"
C. esculenta 'Big Dipper'
C. esculenta 'Black Magic'
C. esculenta 'Black Runner'
C. esculenta 'Bloody Mary'
C. esculenta 'Burgundy Stem'
C. esculenta var. antiquorum 'Illustris'
C. esculenta 'Violet Stem'
C. esculents 'Red Stem'
C. fallax
Xanthosoma jeoquinii linetum
Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Xanthosoma violaceum


ALSO ... bwilliams wrote:

Easy = means they do not rot extremely easy and can take some cold and can usually go dormant. Idea conditions for storing up north 38F to 60f cool humid area kept fairly dry. Watch out for fungas and mold air movment can help so can Sulfur powder.

OK = means the temps may need to be a bit warmer around 45f to 70f. Rot can get these much easier they need to be monitored in the winter for this. All of the forms in easy and OK can be grown in rich soil outside during summer months. Watch for spidermites on leaves and fungas bug can create rot and weaken the plant. Spray a few times during winter months.

Hard = these are not really hard they just ask for something thats difficult to give them in winter and that is heat. The do not like their feet to get cold. Most of these will rot from the bottom up. In greenhouses the coldest area is the floor and most plants are sitting or close to the floor. These plants are about as picky as we are. Temps 70f to 95f water regularly watch for bugs. They do well indoors but do need some bright light. They can rot easily but usually this is all due to temps being to low. I recomend not putting these in the ground the temps up north do not stay warm long enough and the ground will cool off. The best they can be grown would be in a greenhouse in a raised bed with radiant heat. I am working on such a thing here.




Easy
C. esculenta 'Burgundy Stem'
C. esculenta var. antiquorum 'Illustris'
C. esculenta 'Violet Stem'
C. esculents 'Red Stem'
C. esculenta 'Black Runner'
A. sinuata, large form
A. 'William's Hybrid'
C. antiquorum 'Illustris'
C. esculenta
C. esculenta "Fontanesii"
C. esculenta 'Big Dipper'
A. odora
A. odora 'California'
A. plumbea 'Metalica'
A. 'Portora'
A. macrorrhiza
A. macrorrhiza 'Borneo Giant'
A. crassifolia
A. culculata

OK
Xanthosoma jeoquinii linetum
Xanthosoma sagittifolium
Xanthosoma violaceum
C. fallax
C. esculenta 'Bloody Mary'
C. esculenta 'Black Magic'
A. macrorrhiza 'Lisa's'
A. macrorrhiza 'Lutea'
A. macrorrhiza 'New Guinea Gold'
A. clypeolata 'Green Shield'

Hard
A. Robusta
A. sinuata bullata
A. cuprea
A. Frydek
A. longiloba
A. advincula
A. amazonica ‘Purplee'
A. amazonica 'Polly'
A. 'Bako Park'
A. brancifolia
A. bullata (guttatta)

Holy smokes, Brian ... that was very thorough, and I truly appreciate your time.

Those in the "Easy" category ... is it safe to assume that those can be handled like a typical canna for overwintering (total removal from soil)?

Thanks again,
Buck

I have Colocasia escultenta ('Black Magic') that seems to be slowing down its growth rate. For the last year I've kept it inside by a south-facing window and a saucer in the bottom of the plant to keep water in. Should I let this guy dry out more? The last thing I want to do is kill it with too much water. .

Great List Brian.
That's something we've needed for a long time.
Thanks!

I just let these go dormant.
They stay in their pots, dry, till Spring.
A. amazonica 'Polly'
A. 'Bako Park'
A. longiloba
A. plumbea 'Metalica'

These I do in a 55 gallon vivarium w/ lights.
A. sinuata bullata
A. cuprea
Alocasia clypeolata 'Green Shield'

I also started the M. dubia, P. domesticum variegatum and P. 'Florida Beauty' Variegated cuttings there too.

Odora and Macros we have in a GH w/ temps around 60 at night.
They sit on 1 1/2" Styrofoam blocks so their feet stay warmer.
I also don't water until the leaves start to droop.
Then VERY lightly.

My Monstera and Philodendron bipinnatifidum and all other Philos I have we just grow as Houseplants.
"Prince of Orange" is touchy w/ the water...........all the others are no problem.


Ric

Please don't hit me over the head if I am asking something that has been answered but I went through the thread twice and still did see it.

But I have a Alocasia Plumbea can someone tell me if it is Hard, OK or easy?

BTW thanks Brian your list, it is proving to be most helpful. But I will really be glad when we have more EE's that is Hardy to our zone 6. I love my China Pink. She is growing so fast. She know has 14 leaves, and I have only had her in the ground for about 6 weeks.

Linda

Linda,
A. plumbea 'Metalica' is just a cultivar of Alocasia plumbea.
It's an "Easy"

BUT (don'tcha love there's always a but) once it goes dormant, it's very late to come up.
(It was mid-June this year)
Mark the pot carefully as I've almost thrown mine out twice.

Ric

Thanks a bunch Ric. So far all mine are easy except for Black Magic which is a OK.

Linda

We're getting temps in the 40's overnight later this week, so I'm feeling a tad more pressed to re-ask an question from above.

(quoted for her pleasure):

(also ... this is pretty much directed at Brian, but anyone else with experience with these buggers in zones 7a or less are mroe than welcome to opine. Thankyou!

I would say yes but that can depend on were you store them. If its a dry area you will see them dry rot as the moisture is pulled right out of them. I would suggest something around the bulbs tubers or roots to help prevent this. As you notice stores sell tubers in plastic bags with sawdust this is for the same reason. the plastic holds in moisture and the sawdust keeps the bag from sweating to much and causing wet rot. Its a fine line we have to walk here and everyone has different situations. I have done well with plastic containers powdered spaghnum moss over the tubers. Sometimes tubes can touch each other and sweat and cause rot. Sulfur is a good preventive so is cinnamon yes I said cinnamon. If you do get rot clean the tuber out use some deluded clorox and remove infected parts place sulfur on it and allow it to dry for a day or two then put back into container. This is used in extremely hard tubers like Amorphophallus. All of you must look at what you have place it in the categories I listed then don't be scared remove all the leaves besides the center one and repot or place in a mix or container with a moisture holding substance. The area should be cool not hot not cold but cool to chilly. This keeps the plants in a dormant state and saves them from using energy and that keeps the tubers health and large. 38 to 60 is perfect if you cannot do this keep them growing. But keep them growing hot around 65 to 80 at least and feed some. Now if you have a greenhouse or a structure that gets cool at night and heats up a bit during the day like a greenhouse water every few weeks allow drying between. I water early in the morning and by night when cool temps come it is dry or close to it this helps prevent rot. Another problem with rot is bugs. But this is a whole other story but keep a eye out for white fly's and spider mites a lot of you might have them and not know it they can drain energy out of the plants not to mention the larva on some eat tubers. OK well hope this answered the questions. So yes you can store them dry but the roots must be covered or protected. THANKS

I know a lady who stores all of her tubers and bulbs in large plastic baggies and bags with a little rich dirt and adds about half a tea spoon of water to each bag and stores them in a cool area. This may work for some of the ones you are not sure of. The only problem with rot I had seen in this was if it gets to hot and sweets a lot.

Most excellent!!!! THANKS for the info, B. Sounds like I've basically been rather fortunate / lucky with these plants the past couple years. I'm glad I pushed the issue here! :o)

I just started getting all my boys and girls brought out of the ground this week. We've been getting temps in the low 50's at night, and it's supposed to start dipping down into the 40's starting tomorrow night. The few that I have potted will come in tonight and tomorrow night. The others will just have to suck it up! (I have a party Friday evening, so I'm reluctant to pull up too terribly much before Saturday!)

the fragile alocasias need to go first then Caladiums and xanthosomas. Colocasias and cannas and bananas can take a frost. The ones above will look fine but rot from below they hate cold feet. Those being hard to grow alocasias not macrorrhiza easy forms. Good luck.

Yeah, I knew about the Caladiums ... which has been a real buzz kill; my Thai Beauties just started strutting their stuff mere days before the cooler evenings descended upon us.

Thanks again for all the time and detail, dude!

I've pulled all the 'little guy" pots in onto the porch.
cuprea, bullata, "Polly", Bako, etc......
We're looking at a rain here, then possible frost,
so it's drying time......

Ric

Which 'Ears go dormant without actually dying back? In other words, are there any that I can keep "green" over the winter if placed in southern exposure windows?

All of them besides caladiums can continue to grow if given the right amount of light and heat. But low light levels in winter and cool temps keep them from doing well.

Hi, everybody--

Since it seems like the experts are swarming here--do you mind if I post a pic of my tropical alocasia or colocasia, and perhaps someone can tell me what category it falls into?

ric--if you are reading this, I bought it at Wolfangles so it can't be too rare...in fact, I think it was a Proven Winners...

thanks everybody... Lot's of excellent information here, thanks for taking the time to write it all down for us bogweed and bwilliams...

Gonna have to wait for Brian, Ric, or Jerry to chime in on this one, tab. At a distant glance, the leaf shape reminds me of a hybrid that bwilliams is actually known for creating. Two things, though ... #1, the only specimen of that hybrid that I am familiar with in person is still a youngster and does not have such dark "stems", and #2, I believe the undersides should have more color too. Again, I dunno ... I could be wrong ... but it's a handsome 'ear all the same! :o)

I am, though, willing to bet that it's an Alocasia; just not one that I can spastically proclaim, "I KNOW, I KNOW!"

Thankyou bogweed. I do believe I recall that it is an Alocasia from the old pot label, so that's one point for you...and I think it's fairly common but I couldn't identify it when I googled for images...

The stem color is kind of a winey red...but there is no red at all in the leaf...the leaf is sort of a soft metalic green with silvery overtones...

Thanks for working on this...

Alocasia plumbea was once called metallica I have a lot of the white stem forms which can get a bit variegated in the leaf.