Can someone please help Identify this elephant ear for me? Will post another photo of the stalks. I need common name also.
TIA
BlueBonnet46
Elephant Ear: Alocasia or Calocasia??
The leaves are shinny & the underneith is a purpleish color
Hi BB! Welcome to the Tropical Gardening Forum, with all our many frustrations. It looks like you have a Wild Taro, or Giant Taro to me...this is sometimes referred to as an Alocasia and sometimes a Colocasia. I once read an excellent definition of the two, which went on to say that there are exceptions to every rule so the definition was at best - a guess. I would say the most common ee is an Alocasia. Perhaps someone with more knowledge than I have on this subject will pop in here soon with a better explanation for you.
Hi islandshari....I know what you mean about the definitions between the 2....I was more confused after I read the definition than I was when I started. LOL
BB
Well, I just spent the last half an hour searching for that definition I had found once before, and wouldn't you know it...I can't find it. Well, I'm still hoping for someone else to pop in here and help out. Maybe we can both learn an easy definition. :-)
Aloha and welcome BlueBonnet, sorry I don't know a thing about EE's except they are all over the place here, haven't grown them myself. I wonder if Carol has her "ears" on, they must grow wonderfully in her jungle!
I haven't heard from her in days and days.....Can't remember her saying anything about another trip....hope everything is okay. I d-mailed her, and haven't heard back.
BlueBonnet46,
That EE you have is an Alcoasia Plumbae 'Nigra', They are fairly large growers, and have beautiful foliage.
Yeah! For some reason, I find it fitting that a Texan had a response more precise than that of us islanders. Thanks placenciarita!
As a general rule, alocacia leaf tips point up and colocasia leaf tips point down
Yep...except when they don't. :-)
There IS an answer to that question on the TROPICALS forum...given by Brian Williams who grow aroids...if I can find it I will put up a link....
Carol
I knew I had seen it somewhere! Thanks Carol! Happy New Year, my dear friend!!
Yokwe,
Shari
I've found most Alocasia's have leafs that shine almost plastic look, where Colocasia's have more of a matte or felt look.