Blue Taro, Blue Tannia, Purplestem Taro

Wonderful ,one of our favorite food plants.- leaves edible steamed , much better tasting than spinach , very productive.
.. Has o...Read Morever wintered [so far] under an 18 inch layer of leaves.

A hardy and reliable aroid for yard or pond here in North Central Florida. Stands multiply, becoming larger every year. Dormancy is trigg...Read Moreered by cooler temperatures and shorter daylength. In ground tubers easily survive the low 20's. Can also be utilized as an aquatic or a bog marginal, in fact, that's the easiest way to keep them watered in the Florida heat. Plants in my yard have reached 4-5 feet before in years of plentiful rainfall. Pestfree here.

I absolutely love this species. I have been growing it for over 5 years and it has always managed to take center stage on the porch. I gr...Read Moreow my specimen in full sun from 12 noon onward and keep it constantly moist. This plant, like others in the elephant ear tribe, is a heavy feeder. I feed mine a weak solution of regular Miracle-Gro every time I water. Leaves are gigantic and are overall green with a slight blue cast, especially the newer leaves. The stems are a striking purple color with a gray-blue cast. Very striking when planted in a large container with 'New Gold' Lantana, variegated Chlorophytum, and 'Dragon Wing Red' Begonia, however, I find that Xanthosoma violaceum will overpower and shade out the other plants unless the container is very large. For the last two years I have grown it as a specimen in a pot specifically for it and no other plants to share the container have been included. This Xanthosoma really does get large.

I am able to overwinter my plant in a bright, warm room and keep it a little on the dry side in the winter. I offer it a very weak dose of fertilizer once a month when cool weather is here. The plant is not attractive at this time and most winters I have had it go into a state of dormancy, with only one leaf the entire winter. At this point I do not fertilize and only water to keep the soil slightly damp.

This beautiful aroid has beautiful green leaves and and attractive stems that turn a dark purple color after they've received enough sunl...Read Moreight. They do best in bright indirect light with a lot of moisture. This plant is particularly susceptible to pests such as spider mites, mealybugs, and aphids. To prevent such infestations, I spray them with neam oil every 3 or 4 weeks.