Colocasia, Elephant Ear, Taro 'Black Runner'

Colocasiaesculenta

Family
Araceae (a-RAY-see-ee)
Genus
Colocasia (kol-oh-KAY-see-uh)
Species
esculenta (es-kew-LEN-tuh)
Synonym
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Sun to Partial Shade
Foliage
Grown for foliage
Height
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
4-6 ft. (1.2-1.8 m)
Spacing
36-48 in. (90-120 cm)
Hardiness
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 °C (40 °F)
Danger
Parts of plant are poisonous if ingested
Bloom Color
Pale Yellow
Cream/Tan
Bloom Time
Blooms all year
Other Details
Category
Ponds and Aquatics
Tropicals and Tender Perennials
Water Requirements
Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings
Very high moisture needs; suitable for bogs and water gardens
Foliage Color
Dark/Black
Where to Grow
Bloom Characteristics
Bloom Size
Other details
Soil pH requirements
5.6 to 6.0 (acidic)
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
Patent Information
Non-patented
Propagation Methods
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)
Seed Collecting
N/A: plant does not set seed, flowers are sterile, or plants will not come true from seed
Regional

This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:

Sparkman, Arkansas

Brooksville, Florida(2 reports)

Clearwater, Florida

Delray Beach, Florida

Dunnellon, Florida

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Miami, Florida

Port Charlotte, Florida

West Palm Beach, Florida

Bonnyman, Kentucky

Gonzales, Louisiana

Piedmont, Missouri

Clemmons, North Carolina

Elizabeth City, North Carolina

Ellenboro, North Carolina

Emerald Isle, North Carolina

Raleigh, North Carolina(2 reports)

Cincinnati, Ohio

Vieques, Puerto Rico

Shelbyville, Tennessee

Desoto, Texas

show all

Featured Videos

Gardener's Notes:

5
positives
0
neutral
0
negative
Sort By:
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S
S
Raleigh, NC (Zone 7a) | April 2010 | positive

Black Runner is great for its color and its ruffled leaf edges...very artistic.

J
Raleigh, NC (Zone 8a) | July 2009 | positive

I purchased a couple of these last year and planted them around my fish pond. They did great there last year; however, this year, they ca...Read More

T
Piedmont, MO (Zone 6a) | June 2006 | positive

'Black Runner' overwintered here in zone 6 with about 6 inches of mulch. Slow to emerge in late spring, though, so mark the spot if you ...Read More

L
Shelbyville, TN (Zone 7a) | January 2006 | positive

Great. So much fun. Grows fast. Need lots of water.

H
Cincinnati, OH (Zone 6b) | September 2004 | positive

My favorite of the 'Black' EE's.

Compared to 'Black Magic' or 'Wonder' ,
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Runner' has a r...Read More

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