Elephant Ear in Colorado Pond

[G & K Meyer]

Got 6 elephant ear bulbs at Wal-Mart today. Not labeled as to what type
they are. The package showed green leaf and states could get 60" tall.
Put in pots with rocks, no dirt or cat liter, and placed some so just so the
bottom of bulb in water and some completely under water. Will have to see
what happens. Hope to get some shade on the pond from a couple of these.
Has any one did this in Colorado? Any other advice? What about
wintering?
Thanks.

--
Greg &/or Kellie Meyer

[Reel McKoi]

"G & K Meyer" > wrote in message
...
> Got 6 elephant ear bulbs at Wal-Mart today. Not labeled as to what type
> they are. The package showed green leaf and states could get 60" tall.
> Put in pots with rocks, no dirt or cat liter, and placed some so just so
the
> bottom of bulb in water and some completely under water. Will have to see
> what happens. Hope to get some shade on the pond from a couple of these.
> Has any one did this in Colorado? Any other advice? What about
> wintering?
=====================
These bulbs will probably rot in water. These plants like damp well drained
soil to thrive.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's
headers for forgeries before flushing." :-)
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[G & K Meyer]

We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had a
number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where about 3ft
tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with rot. Could it be
the type? There is not a type listed on our wal-mart bulbs.

"Reel McKoi" > wrote in message
...
>
> "G & K Meyer" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Got 6 elephant ear bulbs at Wal-Mart today. Not labeled as to what type
>> they are. The package showed green leaf and states could get 60" tall.
>> Put in pots with rocks, no dirt or cat liter, and placed some so just so
> the
>> bottom of bulb in water and some completely under water. Will have to
>> see
>> what happens. Hope to get some shade on the pond from a couple of
>> these.
>> Has any one did this in Colorado? Any other advice? What about
>> wintering?
> =====================
> These bulbs will probably rot in water. These plants like damp well
> drained
> soil to thrive.
> --
> McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
> EVERYONE: "Please check people's
> headers for forgeries before flushing." :-)
> ~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>
>

[Lt. Kizhe Catson]

G & K Meyer wrote:
> We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had a
> number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where about 3ft
> tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with rot. Could it be
> the type? There is not a type listed on our wal-mart bulbs.

Assuming this is Taro, I grow my Black Magic as an emergent, ie. water
over top of the pot and it thrives. I now have about four, two of them
huge. But I realize they also grow out of water, in wet soil.

-- Kizhe

>
> "Reel McKoi" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>"G & K Meyer" > wrote in message
...
>>
>>>Got 6 elephant ear bulbs at Wal-Mart today. Not labeled as to what type
>>>they are. The package showed green leaf and states could get 60" tall.
>>>Put in pots with rocks, no dirt or cat liter, and placed some so just so
>>
>>the
>>
>>>bottom of bulb in water and some completely under water. Will have to
>>>see
>>>what happens. Hope to get some shade on the pond from a couple of
>>>these.
>>> Has any one did this in Colorado? Any other advice? What about
>>>wintering?
>>
>>=====================
>>These bulbs will probably rot in water. These plants like damp well
>>drained
>>soil to thrive.
>>--
>>McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
>>EVERYONE: "Please check people's
>>headers for forgeries before flushing." :-)
>>~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>
>>
>
>

[Elaine T]

Lt. Kizhe Catson wrote:
> G & K Meyer wrote:
>
>> We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had a
>> number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where about
>> 3ft tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with rot.
>> Could it be the type? There is not a type listed on our wal-mart bulbs.
>
>
> Assuming this is Taro, I grow my Black Magic as an emergent, ie. water
> over top of the pot and it thrives. I now have about four, two of them
> huge. But I realize they also grow out of water, in wet soil.
>
> -- Kizhe

Elephant ear is a Taro relative, but much bigger. It grows to at least
7 feet, with enormous leaves. I don't think it likes wet feet so the
garden center probably has mislabeled Taro as elephant ears.

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[San Diego Joe]

"Elaine T" wrote:

> Lt. Kizhe Catson wrote:
>> G & K Meyer wrote:
>>
>>> We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had a
>>> number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where about
>>> 3ft tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with rot.
>>> Could it be the type? There is not a type listed on our wal-mart bulbs.
>>
>>
>> Assuming this is Taro, I grow my Black Magic as an emergent, ie. water
>> over top of the pot and it thrives. I now have about four, two of them
>> huge. But I realize they also grow out of water, in wet soil.
>>
>> -- Kizhe
>
> Elephant ear is a Taro relative, but much bigger. It grows to at least
> 7 feet, with enormous leaves. I don't think it likes wet feet so the
> garden center probably has mislabeled Taro as elephant ears.

Elephant Ear & Taro are the same thing. Both are just common names for
Colocasia esculenta.

San Diego Joe
4,000 - 5,000 Gallons.
Goldfish, a RES named Colombo and an Oscar.

"We need to make a sacrifice to the pond gods, find me a young virgin... oh,
and bring something to kill"

[Lt. Kizhe Catson]

Elaine T wrote:
> Lt. Kizhe Catson wrote:
>
>> G & K Meyer wrote:
>>
>>> We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had
>>> a number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where
>>> about 3ft tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with
>>> rot. Could it be the type? There is not a type listed on our
>>> wal-mart bulbs.
>>
>>
>>
>> Assuming this is Taro, I grow my Black Magic as an emergent, ie. water
>> over top of the pot and it thrives. I now have about four, two of
>> them huge. But I realize they also grow out of water, in wet soil.
>>
>> -- Kizhe
>
>
> Elephant ear is a Taro relative, but much bigger. It grows to at least
> 7 feet, with enormous leaves. I don't think it likes wet feet so the
> garden center probably has mislabeled Taro as elephant ears.

They're different? I thought they were synonyms, and googling on both
"taro plant" and "elephant ears" only seems to turn up one botanical
name: _Colocasia esculenta_, and that it is grown both in the uplands,
and in marshy areas. Pending better information, I'm afriad I remain
unconvinced.

-- Kizhe

[Lt. Kizhe Catson]

Lt. Kizhe Catson wrote:
> Elaine T wrote:
>
>> Lt. Kizhe Catson wrote:
>>
>>> G & K Meyer wrote:
>>>
>>>> We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had
>>>> a number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where
>>>> about 3ft tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with
>>>> rot. Could it be the type? There is not a type listed on our
>>>> wal-mart bulbs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Assuming this is Taro, I grow my Black Magic as an emergent, ie.
>>> water over top of the pot and it thrives. I now have about four, two
>>> of them huge. But I realize they also grow out of water, in wet soil.
>>>
>>> -- Kizhe
>>
>>
>>
>> Elephant ear is a Taro relative, but much bigger. It grows to at
>> least 7 feet, with enormous leaves. I don't think it likes wet feet
>> so the garden center probably has mislabeled Taro as elephant ears.
>
>
> They're different? I thought they were synonyms, and googling on both
> "taro plant" and "elephant ears" only seems to turn up one botanical
> name: _Colocasia esculenta_, and that it is grown both in the uplands,
> and in marshy areas. Pending better information, I'm afriad I remain
> unconvinced.

Apparently, there are *four* plants sometimes called Taro:
http://www.uq.edu.au/_School_Science_Lessons/TaroProj.html#DifferentkindsL

Not sure whether that clarifies or confuses the issue ;-).

-- Kizhe

[Elaine T]

San Diego Joe wrote:
> "Elaine T" wrote:
>
>
>>Lt. Kizhe Catson wrote:
>>
>>>G & K Meyer wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had a
>>>>number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where about
>>>>3ft tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with rot.
>>>>Could it be the type? There is not a type listed on our wal-mart bulbs.
>>>
>>>
>>>Assuming this is Taro, I grow my Black Magic as an emergent, ie. water
>>>over top of the pot and it thrives. I now have about four, two of them
>>>huge. But I realize they also grow out of water, in wet soil.
>>>
>>>-- Kizhe
>>
>>Elephant ear is a Taro relative, but much bigger. It grows to at least
>>7 feet, with enormous leaves. I don't think it likes wet feet so the
>>garden center probably has mislabeled Taro as elephant ears.
>
>
> Elephant Ear & Taro are the same thing. Both are just common names for
> Colocasia esculenta.
>

Thanks - I didn't know elephant ear was a common name for Taro. The
really big Alocasia spp. like Alocasia calidora or Alocasia macrorrhiza
are what I think of when someone says the common name "elephant ear".
There was one in a botanical garden where I went as a child.

Here's a link with a great picture.
http://www.excelsagardens.com/Products/EGPlantDetails.asp?PLANTDETAILSID=3930
And if you scroll down on this page, there's a woman and child standing
under a beautiful Alocacia spp. to show how huge the leaves are.
http://natureproducts.net/Forest_Products/Aroids/colocasia.html

Wish I had somewhere for one of those in the backyard!

--
Elaine T __
http://eethomp.com/fish.html <'__><
rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com

[~Roy~]

Taro and elephant ears maya be in the same family but they are totally
different.......We have 3 or 4 specis / varieties of Taro and
elephant ears, and there is a distinct difference in common elephant
ears and taro.

Our taro is more rubbery than the elephant ears are. Elephant ears are
ore like a celery stock and will snap easier than the taro stems,
leaves are not quite as broad on Taro as they are on EE, and the Taro
has more of a satin lookl were the EE have more shiney of an
appearance.

==============================================
Put some color in your cheeks...garden naked!

~~~~ }<((((o> ~~~~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~~~~~ }<(((((o>

[Reel McKoi]

"G & K Meyer" > wrote in message
...
> We had been at a garden center that carries pond plants and they had a
> number of the elephant ears totally under water and plants where about 3ft
> tall and told us that they have never had any trouble with rot. Could it
be
> the type? There is not a type listed on our wal-mart bulbs.
==================================
Some plants called EE do very well with their roots submerged. I have BLACK
MAGIC taro and it will thrive in both water and damp soil. But this not the
EE sold in places like Wally World as a large bulb.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." :-)
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>

[Reel McKoi]

"San Diego Joe" > wrote in message
...
>
> Elephant Ear & Taro are the same thing. Both are just common names for
> Colocasia esculenta.
=======================
But my Black Magic taro doesn't have a large bulb like the EE's sold in all
the stores in the spring.
--
McKoi.... the frugal ponder...
EVERYONE: "Please check people's headers for forgeries
before flushing." :-)
~~~ }<((((o> ~~~ }<{{{{o> ~~~ }<(((((o>