The leaves on this one are just weird!
Oops, I thought I was in the tropicals forum. I'll see if Dave or someone can move this for me.
This message was edited Sep 30, 2005 4:57 PM
Xanthosoma Jeoquinii "Crested Elephant Ear"
What causes that? Some of my Mickeys do that in the early spring then they seem to work themselves out of it. I thought it was lower temps but you're still really hot aren't you?
Virus alert!
I don't know if aroids do a 'crested' thing, and I'm no expert, but that looks very much like a viral infection. Come to think of it cresting is also a benign viral infection...so...maybe this is just intellectual masturbation...lol. I'm of an opinion that maybe Bwilliams is the best one to answer. And now that I've said that, in dog's name, why did I of all ministers of gobbdigook chime in.....hmmmm, is there a lesson here?...lol.
Cala, your kids are doing great!
best to you,
don
Well to tell the truth not even the experts are sure what it is. It's believed to be a mutation. I have seen similar mutations in seedlings. Viral mutations usually do not effect the shapes of the leaves in aroids usually it is the mozaic virus which effects aroids and cannas with discolored wave patterns on the leaf.
The xanthosoma mickymouse or albo marginata is similar and has never flowered as far I know for anyone. I do not believe these are seedling mutations though it could easily be that. The problem is Xanthosomas seldom seed at least hear and it would take a chance out of millions to get some odd mutations like this. The other place this is seen is TC. I am not a expert on TC but this is what its like. You have a plant with good genetics you copy it over and over and over the farther from original copy the more errors and mutations you will find. Its still the same plant which I and others believe albo marginata is xanthosoma atroverins. You can do the samething which takes longer by splitting tubers and plant. But TC does 100 years worth of cuttings in one year sometimes. So what these could be is odd mutations of common species seleced and grown.
Another story like this is of a new Caladium out of thialand called thia beauty. I went to a friends greenhouse and he had thousands of them growing. They had selected about 7 of them with thin grass like leaves cupped leaves and so forth out of the TC plants. It may have taken 20 to 100 years to get these forms to show form the plants genetics but with TC they were out in just 3 years. Amazing hum
Calla,
Is the whole plant like that?
Heathly otherwise?
Pupping? lol
Ric
Much like any of the other xanthosomas fast growing to about 5 ft tall all of the leaves have this odd mutation on them. Some look pretty nice at a distance you would think it was nice veining in the leaves.
I like it Susie
But I like anyrhing crested....lol
IT"S SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THIS. It's Xanthosoma jeoquinii, it is called the "crested elephant ear" and is native to South America and grows like that in nature. It does not have a virus or mycoplasma infection and is not a somatic mutation. If grown in low light they don't crest as well as if grown in bright light or sun. They can take full sun as long as they get plenty of water. They crest the best with about half a day of sun. I will try to get a close up of the "crest", it's like an extra leaf growing on top of the big leaf. I was having trouble with my camera the day I took the picture, the flash kept flashing, but I think I have it fixed now so I can get a good picture of the crest.
Liz, my Mickey Mouse sometimes has deformed leaves in early spring(well, winter still, but we don't have winter, lol). I think if it gets chilled the first leaves will be weird, but it always straightens up when it gets hot.
Ric, it pups like crazy, grows about 4 ft tall, is very healthy as long as I remember to water it! I've had this variety about 4 years.
Brian, I don't recall my xanthosomas blooming, I will watch for them to flower. There are xanthosoma sagitts down here that are as tall as the eaves of houses. Mickey Mouse I've killed several times, I just got a new one this year after killing three over the winter.
Thanks Calla.
I just got a regular Jeoquinii and was wondering if the Crested was as strong a plant.
How did you winter it up here?
That is definitely a different looking animal!
Ric
In TN, I overwintered them as dormant in pots, kept dry and cool but not freezing. These are supposed to be hardy to zone 7b.
I think all X. jeoquinii are crested, yours may not be old enough, they take a while to crest. Does it have the variegation in the center of the leaf or lines running toward the edge of the leaf?
Yes it does have the variegation.
It's marked as Xanthosoma jeoquinii linetum.
I just went out to look and the tissue over the white areas is peeling off the leaf leaving a bigger white/yellow area.
This just happened in the last few days.
Biggest leaf is now about 6" top to bottom.
And there are two new pups. lol
Ric
Ric, yes, that's the crested one. The peeling is normal. It will also grow little green lumps, like a leaf on a leaf.
Wouldn't that be nice crossed to a Black Magic or a Marble? Hey Brian, do you have jeoquinii..........
I really like it!! Anyone with pups for it?? Bonnie
CC, too funny!
Cala, How old is yours?
BW, How old is the specimen in your photo?
PS, Both pics look really COOL!
The one in the picture was cut back to the ground probably late winter because I moved it. The plant as a whole.......not my oldest one, so I'd say 2 years old.
Cool, Cala! You know me.....luv anything variegated or different.
:) Donna
The green of the leaf is awesome in contrast to her crest.
Thank you so much for the information.
Continued good luck with your ears!
This is a picture of mine, Susie
Nice plant Ada. Isn't it neat how they get all puckered?
Susie, I love it. It's so different with the puckers. LOL
I have a few questions, please?
I have Mickey Mouse, which all the leaves are wrinkled as they get bigger, gives off many pups.
I have the green leafed ear with the lighter green veining (name unknown, please tell me). Gives no pups yet
What is "Crested"?
Bonnie, you have Mickey Mouse.
Thanks,
Molly
:^)))
I think crested refers to the extra green "lumps" that grow on the leaves.