I have a large green colocasia elephant ear in a pot outside. It's doing splendidly, and has lately started sprouting what look like shoots from under the soil at the sides of the main stem. Are these pups? Can I detach and plant them?
Colocasia pups?
Yes, they are pups, but you should let them get a little larger before carefully digging around them and removing them for planting. If you plan to repot, that is a good time to take the pups off.
LariAnn
http://aroidiaresearch.org
Okay, the tallest is now about a foot high, and has one fairly large leaf. Three others are about half that height, but also have started leaves. The pot still has plenty of room -- it's a 20-gallon pot, but the only other thing in there are some hosta and some plants that didn't come up.
I was planning to overwinter the EE indoors, then haul the pot back outside next spring.
Should I detach the pups now, or just let them grow on where they are? I don't really need additional EE's anywhere, but I have places to plant them if they'll die otherwise.
You can leave the pups on, especially considering the size pot you have them in. Perhaps next spring you might choose to detach them.
Thanks, LariAnn. Appreciate the advice.