What is the difference between Alocasia and Colocasia??? Inquiring minds are not too shy to ask!!!!
D U M B nquestion!!!
From the website Bonnie's Tropicals. com:
There is one easy way to tell the difference between Alocasia and Colocasia. Alocasia has very thick leaves and the leaf tip always point up. Colocasia has very thin leaves and the leaf tips point down.
There is no such thing as a dumb question. More than half the people reading this probably wanted to know the same thing. :-)
KEWL! Thanks you so MUCH, Kay.
So, are both edible (Taro) or is their one or the other that is the edible Taro?
Carol (I have broad shoulders...sock it to me!)
Aloha......a rule of thumb is that alocasias can not take as much water as colocasias.....both are tropical by nature, but a good many colocasia can grow in boggy conditions such as ditches, etc....Because there are so many new varieties being developed of both, it's getting harder and harder to tell which is which unless you ask the person who developed each. Brian Williams is one of the best on DG to indentify what you have, with just a glance, and go into lengthy detail about alocasia/colocasia/xanthoma (yep, there's a part 3,lol!) He has developed a good many himself, and is usually searching the world for unusual varieties if he can't develop them himself. I have colocasias in the ground, and growing in nothing but water, roots exposed, in my koi pond. I've killed alocasias in too damp of soil. I learned the hard way.
:)
WOW...we are never too old to learn, are we? I seem to have both, blindly plant them and haven't a clue what I have. Now I shall take more care (and probably klll them all!!!).
Many Mahalos -
Carol
I wrote a very long reply to this same question last year. If you can find it in the archives it would be extremely helpful. It tells the difference from Alocasias Colocasias Xanthosomas and Caladiums.
PS Alocasias don't always point upward and Colocasias don't always point downward!!! But it does usually apply to most common forms.
Ah HAH! I told you there was a Brian Williams lurking in DG cyberspace somewhere who could assist you! Brian, you're awesome!
:D
OH SWELL...Up and DOWN I can handle...do they point left and right, too!!!
I will look for your piece, Brian...About when did you write it???????
Carol
I would not mind answering any questions but I went into good detail about all the forms. I wrote it last year probably later in the summer. It will be listed as Elephant ear IDing or something like that.
Brian...you are a prince!!! Thank you!!
Carol,
I'd like to mail you something. Please send me a D-Mail with your mailing address.
Sugarcane52
I think this is Brian's thread.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/556614/
oh GOSH...I remember that. Brian, sorry to have spaced it!!! DDave..thank you muchly...great information.
Carol
Hi... newbie to DG here... just saw the thread. I love EEs and have had both, though I'm sure I don't know as much as some of you. One thing I learned (from somebody...) is that the stem on colocasia meets the leaf in the center, and alocasia stem meets the leaf at the bottom... if that makes sense???
Karen
Aloha, I'm glad you asked that question. I've recently purchased both and was wondering the same thing myself!!!
Thanks :-)