Yep, keep them in the ground with mulch. Oh, and they are colocasias :). If they don't come back next year, I will give you some more. Dahlias? I am leaving mine out. This will be the first year. Mine are still blooming too!

It's about that time to move the jungle in!

Rebecca

Rebecca you put about 5 ' of mulch on your stuff though LOL, you're going to have to teach me how much mulch is the right amount for these things. Yep it's time to bring the jungle in, only I don't have the space I had last year because of homeschooling to move everything where I had it before. Help ! LOL

I leave the alocasias and colocasias in the ground with about 6 inches of pine straw as mulch. I think my colocasias are 'black runner' instead of 'black magic' even though when I bought them the tag said 'black magic'. I get runners 3-4' long that take root. The downside of mulching is that it takes a LONG time in the spring for the 'black runner' to start growing and every time it seems that they start from last year's runners, not the original bulb/rhizome. I may trying digging and bring some in and leaving some out.

Nope, black magic doesn't run. It stays in a nice neat clump. And, yes, we like the mulch piled high!

Got another question. Do you cut back your black magic or leave it for the frost to nip the leaves ?

I let the frost take the leaves down and then clean up the mess.

I've also left mine in the ground. Just beware of the drainage situation. They will rot if left in areas that stay damp.

Oh yeah. Good drainage with raised beds are a plants best friend!

Hello all,

I bought "Black Magic" from Parks 2 years ago and mine definitely run and grow babies on the end of each runner that I just love to have. Now, did Parks dupe me??? Is Black runner a different species?

{{gwi:1292842}}

Love you all, Mona

I've got these lovely black elephant ears, too (alo? colo?). Mine looks like the smaller plant on the left in Mona's picture. I rescued it from a commercial planting last fall, and kept it alive (barely) in a pot indoors last winter. Now it's lovely, still in its pot, and sending out runners to the edges of the pot.

I'd like to plant it in the garden if it would survive the winter (nashville). If transplanting now is not advisable, what's the best way for me to overwinter it indoors?

Most grateful for all advice.

ej

Mona, the one on the right isn't Black Magic is it ? I have another one ( I'll have to check the name tomorrow) that looks like that one.

Cheryl

Ok, Let's say left side "Black Magic". Middle is one that I got at the Spring swap.It is green with burgandy added, no it's not BM but I'm not sure what it is. It was one little bity leaf and boy has it grown and I just love it!! Now go around to the right where the rocks are and behing the center green one and that's another BM, or it's supposed to be. They all came from Parks 2 years ago and were sold to me as Black Magic.

I'm so upset with myself. I just read Jeff's post where the lady from their local DL society is going to be there. Darn it, I would have to miss this one.

Love to you all, Mona

I think the unknown colocasis is 'Illustris'. It runs quite a bit and it hardy to zone 7, I think. It comes back for me every year after a good mulch during the winter. Every year I think it will not come back but in May it finally pops up, and I will add, all over the place!

Here is a pic of ours. Black Magic on the right and Illustris on the left. The illustris does run a tad bit but maybe a few inches from the moma plant. I dig them up while young and give them away.

Can I do that to my children? Any takers?
Rebecca

Hey There:

I am very confused about Black Magic. I got two
Black Magic Elephants Ears 3 years ago. They got gigantic
and started putting out long runners everywhere with
juvinile plants sprouting from the tips. The following year
I thought they had died, because they took until late June before they started to sprout the following year. I purchased another one while waiting for them to sprout. The
previous years babies soon surpased the newer larger plant.
This year I knew it would take a long time to sprout so I purchased 2 more. They are really hug but no runners. I
am wondering about this as they look identical to the others
from the previous year.. All purchased from the same place.
Is there a difference between Black Magic and the running type?

Yes, there is a difference in black magic and black running type coccasias. At least there is a grower in Florida that is offering different types. I am still wondering if dalias can just be mulched for the winter here. Rhonda

Neat, does that garden look different this year! You can see my black magic still in the same spot, no running.

Rhonda, yes you can leave dahlias in the ground here with mulch.

Here it is yesterday...now where's that cat?