This isn't what it was sold to me as. Any idea which it is? Thanks
Need an ID
Another pic of the leaf.
I felt sure Brian would know this one. It was sold as Chicago Harlequin but it isn't striped like this one http://www.plantdelights.com/Catalog/Current/Detail/03871.html but it does spread by above ground rhizomes.
There appear to be three distinguishing features of your EE:
1. the undulating leaf.
2. the stem is reddish purple near the leaf attachment
3. the piko (part of the leaf where the stem attaches, but on the front of the leaf) is reddish.
Is this correct?
Also, please let us know where you got it. It might help with the ID.
ROX
You're right, Rox but I don't remeber who I bought it from on Ebay last year.
Well...
I actually think it may be Chicago Harlequin. CH has:
1. the undulating leaf.
2. the stem is reddish purple near the leaf attachment
3. the piko (part of the leaf where the stem attaches, but on the front of the leaf) is reddish.
The striping on the plants tends to express itself as the plant matures. Mine starting showing strips about 4 months into the season and one less mature plant is barely showing any stripes.
Another possiblity is 'Ruffles', which is highly variable but (to my knowledge) doesn't have a reddish piko or red on the stems. [Some form clumps (see Plant Delights website) and others do form runners (mine does). So it might be variant of 'Ruffles'.]
There are two described Hawaiian taro that have runners [Aweu and Kakakura-ula] but neither fits the description.
Chines taro [Bun long] does have a reddish piko and red on the stem near the leaf. A pic I have of an young plant does have undulated leaves. So it's a possibility but the description I have says it have ovate leaves and yours is more sagittate. Also, I don't think that Bun long produces rhizomes.
So, you may have a CH that has less than stellar stripping. Look to see if you can see even faint stripping and see if it increases within the next month. If not, I should be able to ship you one this Fall.
ROX
Rox, it does have a small amount of stripping.
Another pic. I sure hope it's a CH because I had promised a start to a friend and I wanted to make sure.
Nope not chicago Harlequin. I think this maybe the more common weedy form found in south florida. As with most it is called Colocasia esculenta. Here is a pic of Chicago Harlequin attached.
Also the leaves of chicago are slightly variegated wtih light green spots.
Here is the species I think it is. It could be a hybrid if it is it would be harder for me to ID it. Their are a lot of Hawaiian forms. Most that are used for food are going to produce some nice large tubers though. This form does not produce much of a tuber it also sends out runners all over.
After looking at my more mature plants and your photos I am pretty sure it is a match.
Brian...does the common weedy form have the purple piko and purple on the stem?
I agree that the plant Ahelms has doesn't have the striping it should but I wonder if it is a sport of a CH (as it does have the other characteristics). Maybe I am being too nice, but I can't believe that someone would sell the plain esculenta intentionally as CH.
Anyway, I would give the plant away as CH, because whatever it is, it is not showing what should be its most important characteristic.
ROX
I dont think it is CH. I dont think it is a sport of it either though it could be a reverted sport but I am doubting that. The leaf is not right and the stems should have more red to pink at the base. This species does get some purple markings on the edge and base of the stems but unsually only seen on larger plants. Here is a leaf of HC to compare.
The red dot on CH is fairly large it also is not always a dot but sometimes larger V shaped. I think if you planted a CH next to this plant they would look very different. Thought the original plant of CH was found at the Chicago zoo as a mutated sport.
I'll just have to mark it as unknown. It sure doesn't look like the CH on Plants Delight. It was very small when I received it from the ebay seller. This is the bad thing about buying from some sellers on ebay, it takes a while before you realize they sold you something that's different from what they advertised. Thanks so much, Rox and Brian.