Colocasia ‘Black Magic’ turning brown around leaf edges

8 years ago

Hi there!

About a month ago I bought a rather ratty looking Colocasia Black Magic, which has thriven & has since produced 2 new leaves plus one was just unfurling when I bought it. These leaves have gradually had small brown patches appear around the edges of the leaves as shown in the pictures below. The leaves pictured are 2 of the newer ones - the old leaves have been removed because they were ripped & horrible! Haha

I’m located in Western Australia, so it’s spring here & the climate is generally fairly warm & dry, though my other Alocasias & Colocasias have been totally fine. I water them a few times per week & mist these tropicals most days, sometimes twice in a day.

Any clues what could be causing the browning..?

Cheers

Ethan

Featured Answer

jay

8 years ago

Maybe one day w/o enough water. I've had similar browning on C 'Black Magic' but only on older leaves. I know I missed some water and they drooped and sometime afterwards got browning. Mine like extra water...as much water that would kill other plants. I've seen healthy ones planted in standing water.

Off-topic but is that an Alocasia Zebrina in the first pic? I've read the newer/smaller leaves have markings but the older/larger ones don't. And all leaves have petiole markings like in your pic.

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Comments (7)

christine 5b
8 years ago
A better picture of the pot would help and the type of soil you are using. I have elephant ears in large containers and I have to water them everyday, some times 2x a day depending on the heat. Personally I dont mist my outdoor plants because I believe it causes burning of the leaves. Other members will have more advise for you.
ethanwes
Original Author
8 years ago
Hmm ok, it’s quite a small plant, so it’s currently in a 17cm diameter pot & about 20cm tall. I only mist if they’re not getting any direct sun for the rest of the day... because my other types of elephant ears are fine I thought this one would be fine too? Also I don’t think it’s not enough water - the soil is often still moist when I check it....
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ethanwes
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks Jay! You could be right there, I guess - perhaps when I first got the plant (& had it indoors) it wasn’t getting enough water... the leaves looked perfect still when I moved the plant outdoors & its been wet weather & received water/misting every day that it hasn’t rained since then... Your suggestion that it comes with a delay would make a lot of sense then... they certainly do love water - I have a few friends who grow them in their ponds & have had great success with them like that! I’ll try just keeping the water up & see if the new leaf coming through now gets the same marks or not...

And yes, that is a Zebrina! Can’t say I’ve noticed any different markings on the new leaves, but I haven’t looked for them... I’ll double check when I get home - I’ve got a new leaf just unfurling now on that one. The petioles do all keep those striking markings, new leaves are greener & older leaves the petioles turn more white/light, but still with the dark markings... I love them!
ethanwes
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
@Jay the young leaves on the Zebrina don’t have markings, only the petioles as in the last post...

top pic is the leaf currently unfolding, second pic is the next newest leaf...
jay
8 years ago
Thanks for the Zebrina info. That looks like a good size for a house plant. You may have an Alocasia Zebrina 'tigrina' as compared to an Alocasia Zebrina 'reticulata'. This post decribes the differences and until I found it today and got your Zebrina info I wasn't clear on that: http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1688272/alocasia-tigrina. There is also an Alocasia 'Tigrina Superba'.
ethanwes
Original Author
8 years ago
Oh right, thanks for the info! I was sold the wrong thing then! Haha! Was told it was a zebrina... either way, it’s still beautiful! Perhaps the strangest thing, though, is that since buying it, I have seen this type being sold in my city as A. Zebrina a few times, never any marking on the leaves....