need a pic ...

where are you ...

and why do you have it inside in summer???

ken

No camera...

zone 6...

Kansas heat and humidity!!!

addison

Optimum conditions: Moist, part-shade.

If you plant in those conditions, even in pots, they should thrive.

I would not keep indoors at this time - air is usually too dry indoors, and they like warmer temps - they grow beautifully in tropical zones (read: they *like* heat and humidity). There's no reason you can't keep them outdoors in the heat/humidity as long as you keep them on the moister side.

Okay, well thank you guys for trying to help me out. First of all, come to Kansas-we just went 15 STRAIGHT days of over 100 degrees (not including Heat Index). And secondly, both of you are missing the point: If it thrived indoors for three months, it should still now...i.e. putting it outdoors has nothing to do with it. I know that they do like outside weather, but when I first got the plant, I did put it outside, and it HATED it...15 minutes it was attempting to topple over. I think it either has a virus or something I am unaware of. Thanks for trying to help though.

Well I know from trying to winter them over as houseplants that they are not happy in my my house for more than about 3 months. They are tropical plants and air indoors is too dry for them.

I agree, it should be outside. It may be dying back because light levels are dropping as the days get shorter. It also could have mites (look on the backside of the leaves). These plants are prime targets indoors for mites. Also, a sick plant should NEVER be fertilized until it shows signs of new growth and recover. If you're feeding it once per week while it's on the decline, you could be making the situation worse and contributing to its death.

I have a whole bunch of colocasias and the hotter and more humid the summer, the better they do, but they do need moisture. Remember these plants are native to very tropical parts of the world where we would melt from the heat and humidity. They love it.

Kevin

Forgot to add:

Your plant is Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'. Here's a photo from my garden this summer of one of its relatives Colocasia esculenta ÂFontanesii or the Black Stem Taro. I started out with maybe 5 - 9 inch plants in this 16 inch diameter pot back in late May. I grow these in almost full sun, but have to water them every day or they wilt. They've loved the sun, heat and humidity and are now over 4 feet tall. I have another similar sized pot of these and they've actually cracked the sides of the pot it's so full of roots.

Kevin

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Kevin--Thanks for the input. I see you're in zone 5, as well as the others. I also see you live in Minnesota, my question is: is it really that humid there? I've been there in the winter (ice fishing) ,but never summer. Im also curious as to summer temperatures there? Kansas is very high humidity, with very high and DRY temperature. I realize I am no expert on any matter, but Western Kansas' climate is relative to Southern Arizona/New Mexico. Now, I don't live in Western Kansas, but my Black Magic didn't like the weather...maybe I will retry it. Is your colocasia in full sun? I rent a duplex (college student) and I have almost literally no shade. Last question: In terms of mites, what specifically am I looking for on the back of the leaves?

I love your pic! It looks great! I just bought a Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris' a week ago and boy it is growing! Thanks for the help.

Also found this online when looking for info on common problems with these plants:

Problems: Soft rot, bacterial blight, corm and root rot, and dasheen mosaic virus are common. Aphids, whiteflies, and spider mites occur.

Well, yes our summers are often hot and humid with temps in the 90's and dewpoints in the 70's. Granted I'm sure it's not as hot here as it is in your area, but when we have a hot spell, these plants grow like crazy. If we happen to have a coolish summer, they sulk. Keep in mind the vast majority of colocasia come from swampland areas in SE Asia. You should probably contact a good nursery in your area to see how they recommend growing these, but I still think they would do better outside. Light levels indoors are just too low unless you have a sunroom or something.

Mites: Take a white paper towel and wipe the backside of the leaf. If you see black or reddish colored spots, you probably have mites. I get them every winter when I bring my plants indoors. A good treatment is to wash the leaves with soapy water - both sides and the stems too.

Kevin

Thanks...Well I checked for that and nothing. Took my Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris' outside while I washed my car and then left for the gym. Upon arriving home almost all the shoots started drooping (approx. 3 hrs total I was gone), I even watered it outside...I then put it inside and within 45 minutes I can already tell they are starting to erect again. What the hell is going on??

Please leave it outside and stop fretting over it. It probably just needs time to adjust. I have a Jet black(black magic?) in a pot outside that's in full sun and alocasia frydek in partial shade in the ground. They were enjoy the heatwave while most of my other annuals died.

Plants, unlike animals, are not mobile. They adapt to their growing conditions, either good or bad. If you elect to move them they are forced to adapt to a new growing condition. They will do that, in most cases, but will be stressed in the process. Anytime you move a plant, expect a reaction from the plant. Al

I'm down on the Gulf Coast and until a few weeks ago, our heat index was spiking up around 120 degrees. My black magic elephant ears are just as happy as can be and I have pots in areas that range from full blazing sun to partial sun. I've even got some in the shade, but they are more green than black if they don't get enough sun.

You just have to water them every day when it is that hot and give them frequent diluted fertilizer and they multiply like crazy.

I like to put mine in the center of a glazed ceramic pot to hold down on water loss and add a good amount of those water absorbing polymer crystals to the potting soil because they really do like to stay moist.

I put coleus around the perimeter of the pot and have the elephant ears shoot up in the center through the coleus. It's quite attractive that way.

I can only tell you how I treat mine. It is outside all summer and in the basement in the winter with 1/2 cup of water every week. It is not a houseplant. If you try to grow it as a houseplant it looks bad all winter. I just try to keep it just living until it can go outside where it is happy in the summer.

I live a short distance north of you in zone 5, hot, humid to the max just like you. My elephant ears never get more than 3-4 leaves at a time even when fertilized. Kansas and Nebraska have a lot of wind. I think they are not fond of our high winds. Mine are always pretty torn up by summer's end.

If given enough water and many do place them right in their ponds they can take full sun in Phoenix Arizona! Heat and humidity are not a problem but they need to be in standing water.

They are spider mite bait indoors. Mine in my greenhouse is covered. My greenhouse is not shaded at all and gets over 100* inside during summer. My "taro" looks like crap because of the mites but it is happy otherwise. I keep it in standing water at all times. It is in a pot with no drain holes with a cyperus (umbrella grass) and aquatic zinnia (not really a zinnia)

Mine have been in part sun all summer and no leaf damage. One year I had them in a large pot under a maple tree but when the afternoon sun hit them the leaves would get crisp around the edges. Think they also needed more water.

I would like to try them in a pot inside a pot of water but the mosquitoes are so bad here that I haven't yet. Perhaps I could add one of those floating mosquitoe thingys (sorely, lost the correct word).

In the fall I cut them back and let them go dormant for the winter, stick them in my cool dark crawl space and don't do anything until I pull them out in the spring. If they are in a pot that's not to big I just leave them in the pot. If they are in the ground I dig them up and let the tuber dry before putting in a paper bag and placing the paper bag in the crawl space.

I live in new york rite on lake ontario, ive had colocasias for years, my pride and joy.. and theres alot of controversy about them, how to grow them, over winter them and so on and through trial and errror this is wut ive learned if it can help any one..1st they love food and not the liquid kind..but horse cow or goat manure..(must be seasoned a year or 2) soil is the most important aspect in growing these badboys...i make my own dirt for all my plants,,try merical grow potting soil (1/3) with manure (1/3) and ne kind of regular dirt or sand (1/3),,and i sift it useing a regular strainer to get the finest loosest n fluffiest dirt n i mix it all together and my plants thrive,, always remember to water weekly depending on climate ect,,the bigger the plant the more food and water they need,,(use rain water or distilled..tap water has to many chemicals and clorine which will damage ne plant over time) i also never put mine in the ground they are all in pots,, they make an awsome house plant,, they go outside in the summer and come indoors in the winter they never go dormant on me..i do not c the point in over wintering them if they r still healthy, and growing fine unless they r in the ground and u dont wanna risk loseing them from winter or u dnt hve the room to bring them indoors.. they will let u no if there going dorment if thats the case i wouldnt cut them back let them die off on threre own as long as they hve foliage they r absorbing nutrients to store for next years growth.. ive also learned (and this may sound nuts) they r like children with thier own personal prefrenses and personalities,,yes i said it..a plant adjusting to a new home..? sometimes and certain plants i no for a fact drecenea is 1..but when u hve a healthy colocasia..a new home dosent matter to them..idk this is wut ive learned over tha past 15yrs of having these n i can take it to the bank..i could rite all day about these plants so i hope this can help ne 1 thats looking for advise.. it is a science and with enough research (weighing out the opinions and answers) ull figure it out be paitient and proactive.. and good luck

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