Colocasia Species, Elephant Ear

Not had much time growing this plant. (mine are only about four inches tall now) They do start pretty easily from seed but in an experime...Read Morent we did in a class at NCSU they required cold stratification. The seeds seem to take a while even after that and may require more patience than anything. I started out with two plants, but after planting them (6 weeks later) some more of the seeds germinated. After they germinate growth is rapid!

Taste test for Iliuaua
Iliuaua is a good Table variety,The Corm, is similar to Bunn Long but is not as dry in Texture, and has a...Read More different flavor, I like the flavor,
--Iliuaua corm is best eaten while still growing well, before it starts to send growth to the corm [late summer and fall], if eating the Mother Corm, -[as the main corm get tough and acrid when it is making offset corms.] Just pull the whole plant and take the leaves and corm for eating and re-plant the Huli, [to get more taro growth and small Taro plants for planting later].
If the plant is mature and beginning to slow down on leaf production it is better to wait for the offset corms to fully develop and the top to die back, then just harvest the offset corms for eating.
The leaves are tough and don't fall apart when cooked, this makes it great for wrapping other food in and steaming or baking, --I like to use a Iliuaua leaf first, then several leaves from Bunn Long, Kai Kea, or Kakakura ulaula , then add meat, Taro Corm,and salt, and spices, and then wrap it all up in the Iliuaua leaf,and tie it with string, and steam for at least 1 hour, when it is un-wrapped all the other filling is nicely contained in side.
Iliuaua leaves have more calcium oxilates [itch] than my other Taro's, so cooking time and temp must be at least an hour, longer with the big leaves. --[sometimes I just toss the Iliuaua leaf in the compost after cooking, and eat all the others wrapped up in it.]- If making cooked greens with the leaves just use the young leaves, the older ones will require a very long boiling time. and are too tough for my enjoyment.

I love these elephant ears, they provide shade for the smaller varieties that can't take the full sun. They also provide a great habitat ...Read Morefor frogs and lizards. Also great for hide and seek.

Plant Delights offers this description:
"Resembling an alocasia, the 6' tall grey petioles (stalks) hold the large silver-...Read Moreveined grey-green leaves outright. When the plants mature, the tip of the leaf arches downward and each leaf develops bizarre appendages on the underside...you'll just have to see it for yourself. This clone of C. gigantea makes a fast-multiplying clump, but without the long runners of many C. esculenta forms...still plenty to share"