What is this???

17 years ago

Okay so I recently posted a message about whether or not I should go ahead and pull up my Colocasia Esculenta Black Magic (or maybe it's not!) and after talking to a seemingly smart person at the nursery I decided to go ahead and pull it up and start the dormancy period.

So when I pull the Colocasia up from the dirt I am expecting something that looks like a bulb/corm....something round or somewhat spherical. Well what I pulled up looks like the bottom of a corn stalk! Is this really a Black Magic EE or something else? ALSO, there is some weird sort of gash or hole in one side of the bulb or whatever it is. Is this rot? There isn't any blacking that I can see and the roots look okay.

Should I just throw this away and not bother with trying to store it for next year? Also, these two little corms came off when I was pulling up, they are really tiny...will these come back or should I throw these away too?

(see links for the three pictures)

Thanks!

Curtis

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.flickr.com/photos/31692077@N06/2964896914/

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Comments (5)

bihai
17 years ago
I guess my first question is, why did you pull it off and cut the root system off? You stand a better chance of losing it now than if you had not done that.

The best way to overwinter it would have been to just leave it in the pot, stick it somewhere cool and dark where it wouldn;t freeze, and get it back out in Spring.

The little bulblets are new plants. If you plant them, you will get another plant. If I were you, I'd make certain I saved every little bulblet off it I could find, because your main rooted stem that you lopped off my not make it.
ces797
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi bihai
I didn't cut off the root system, it was exactly as you see it when I removed it from the pot and and washed the dirt away. The bulbets that came off fell off as I was washing the roots.
I chose this method of overwintering because quite frankly it was the only one I thought feasable. I do have a basement but it is an old house with leaky pipes and air from the furnace get's into the basement keeping it above 60 degrees year round. I do have a garage as well but it is detached and non insulated which means it only stays 10 degrees warmer than the outside temp (which in OH can easily get into the single digits)
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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
17 years ago
Pot it up. Cut off all the leaves to reduce transpiration. Dont' worry, it will grow more slowly. Grow in a sunny window. Or some just grow these in a container of water (room temperature) all winter!
aroideana
17 years ago
Looks more like an Alocasia , most likely plumbea .
Colocasia do not have offset tubers like that .
It should do well overwinter kept just lightly watered . You could even keep the small offset tubers in a small pot in sphagnum , I have had great success with this method .
ces797
Original Author
17 years ago
Wow aroideana I think you hit the nail on the head. I googled Alocasia Plumbea and that definitely looks like what I have! They weren't even in the same genus! Thanks so much for the on spot ID. Noone has really said anything about the gaping hole in the side of the corm, does this look normal to everyone? There is now a mini hole inside that pokes straight through to the middle of the corm