Plants in genus colocasia
Colocasia esculenta 'Waikiki'
Colocasia esculenta 'Waikiki' is a striking plant with corrugated green leaves that develop a central white pattern and purple dot. It grows up to 3.5 feet tall and 5 feet wide, thriving in bright sun and moist soil. This plant is well-suited for humid climates and adds a tropical touch to any garden.
Colocasia 'Mojito'
Colocasia 'Mojito' is a striking plant with large, heart-shaped leaves speckled in dark purple and green. It grows rapidly, forming clumps up to 36 inches tall and 3-4 feet wide. This plant prefers rich, moist soil and can be overwintered in colder climates by storing its corms.
Colocasia fontanesii
Colocasia fontanesii is a striking plant with giant purple-black petioles and green heart-shaped leaves. It produces yellow aroid flowers with a papaya fragrance in late summer. This plant can grow nearly 7 feet tall and adds a tropical touch to gardens.
Colocasia esculenta
Colocasia esculenta, known as the black-leaved elephant ear, is a striking plant with dramatic green veins and large, heart-shaped leaves. It thrives in wet organic soils and can withstand temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant forms 3-foot tall clumps with creamy white stalks that turn purple at the leaf junction. The chartreuse leaves, accented with purple veins, create a tropical appearance. It spreads through above-ground rhizomes in moist environments, forming a 4-foot wide patch over several years. This unique mutation of Colocasia 'Illustris' is known for its intensified black leaf color.
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Ripple'
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Ripple' is a tropical plant with narrow, glossy black foliage and dark violet stems, reaching up to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide. It prefers moist, rich soils and is notable for its heavily puckered, textured appearance.
Colocasia 'Smiley Face'
Colocasia 'Smiley Face' is a tropical plant with 3-foot tall green stalks and light green leaves marked with dusty black blotches. It spreads to 5 feet wide in moist, rich soil and is known for its stoloniferous growth habit.
Colocasia esculenta 'Pineapple Princess'
Colocasia esculenta 'Pineapple Princess' is a low-growing plant with 18-inch long dusty grey-lavender leaves and dramatic purple veins. It flowers in late summer and fall, producing spiky yellow flowers with a fruit-like smell. This plant prefers rich, moist soil.
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Marble'
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Marble' is a striking plant with dark grey-green leaves featuring random purple-black sectors and flecks. This pattern persists throughout the plant, making it a unique addition to gardens. It is a sport of C. esculenta 'Burgundy Stem' and is known for its high cull rate in production. This plant thrives in sunny locations and is suitable for use as a ground cover or in ornamental plantings.
Colocasia esculenta 'Surf City'
Colocasia esculenta 'Surf City' is a vigorous plant introduced in 2008, featuring 5-foot tall stalks with purple tops and narrowly pointed, ruffled leaves. A small purple dot marks where the stem attaches to the leaf back, adding a unique detail. This plant grows in tight clumps and is suitable for tropical-themed gardens. Its striking appearance and robust growth make it a popular choice for gardeners.
Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito'
Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' is a fast-growing plant with variegated foliage featuring green and black splotches. It thrives in moist, well-drained soil and prefers partial shade to full sun. This plant is winter-hardy in Zone 7b and should be mulched well in winter to protect the central tuber.
Colocasia esculenta 'Burgundy Stem'
Colocasia esculenta 'Burgundy Stem' is a striking plant with deep purple petioles and giant green leaves that have a hazy purple cast. It can grow over 6 feet tall, with leaves reaching 3 feet in length. The plant produces 1-foot tall yellow flowers with a papaya-like fragrance. Although slow to spread, it adds a dramatic tropical appearance to gardens. It thrives in sun to light shade and is suitable for both sun and shade perennials.
Colocasia esculenta 'Big Dipper'
Colocasia esculenta 'Big Dipper' is a striking plant with 6-foot tall purple-black stems and grey-green leaves with a matte finish. The leaves are unique in their ability to hold water and release excess. This plant also produces black snake-like runners, adding to its dramatic appearance.
Colocasia esculenta 'Blue Hawaii'
Colocasia esculenta 'Blue Hawaii' is a 2008 John Cho hybrid with medium green leaves featuring dramatic purple veins. It grows up to 30 inches tall and prefers rich, moist soil. This plant is known for its striking foliage and is a popular choice for adding a tropical look to gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Diamond Head'
Colocasia esculenta 'Diamond Head' is a striking plant with glossy, chocolate-black leaves that are lightly ruffled. Released in 2008, it forms a 4-foot tall clump and thrives in rich, moist soil, making it an excellent choice for creating a tropical look in gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Yellow Splash'
Colocasia esculenta 'Yellow Splash' is a tropical plant with large, grey-green leaves featuring creamy yellow patterns. It forms a 4-foot tall clump and spreads via rhizomes. Preferring rich, organic soils that remain moist in summer, this plant adds a bold, exotic look to gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Coral'
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Coral' is a striking plant with glossy, jet-black leaves and heavy corrugation. Developed by Dr. John Cho, this plant grows to 3.5 feet tall and is ideal for adding dramatic foliage to gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Nancy's Revenge'
Colocasia esculenta 'Nancy's Revenge' is a bold plant with 25-inch long light green leaves that develop a buttercream-yellow Y-pattern at flowering. It sends out numerous side stolons and requires adequate moisture. This plant was discovered in the Caribbean and adds a tropical touch to gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'
Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic' is a striking plant with dusty, solid purple-black leaves that can grow up to 2 feet long. Forming giant clumps reaching 5-6 feet tall, it is hardy in warm climates, surviving temperatures as low as 0 degrees Fahrenheit. The tubers of this plant rise to the soil surface, adding to its unique appearance.
Colocasia esculenta 'Maui Gold'
Colocasia esculenta 'Maui Gold' is the first clumping gold leaf colocasia, forming a tight clump of stems that arch to 4 feet. It features large chartreuse golden leaves with a small purple dot, adding a tropical look to gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Hilo Bay'
Colocasia esculenta 'Hilo Bay' is a tropical plant introduced in 2008, recognized for its dramatic appearance. It grows up to 4 feet tall with dark chocolate stems and large, olive green leaves that have upturned edges. The leaves are thick and heavily corrugated, adding texture to gardens. This plant spreads slightly and is deer resistant, making it a low-maintenance choice for bog gardens and areas with high humidity.
Colocasia esculenta 'Rhubarb'
Colocasia esculenta 'Rhubarb' is a striking plant discovered in Hawaii, known for its brilliant red stems and large green leaves. It grows up to 4 feet tall and adds a tropical touch to gardens with its bold foliage.
Colocasia esculenta 'White Lava'
Colocasia esculenta 'White Lava' is a clumping elephant ear plant with large glossy green leaves and a creamy white center stripe. It also features a distinctive purple spot where the leaf attaches to the stalk.
Colocasia esculenta 'Hawaiian Punch'
Colocasia esculenta 'Hawaiian Punch' is a compact plant from the Royal Hawaiian series, reaching up to 3 feet tall. It features glossy green leaves with bright red stems, adding a bold splash of color to gardens.
Colocasia 'Leucocolocasia Black Goblet'
Colocasia 'Leucocolocasia Black Goblet' is a hybrid plant with dark black, cupped leaves that hold water. It grows up to 5.5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, surviving winter temperatures as low as 7-9 degrees Fahrenheit. This plant is known for its striking foliage and ability to thrive in various garden settings.
Colocasia affinis
Colocasia affinis, commonly known as dwarf elephant ear, features velvety charcoal leaves with a central silver blotch. It grows up to 18 inches tall and prefers light shade and moist conditions. This plant forms dense clumps and produces small yellow flowers before going dormant in the fall.
Colocasia esculenta 'Lemonlime Gecko'
Colocasia esculenta 'Lemonlime Gecko' is a hybrid plant known for its striking appearance, featuring upright dark purple stems with flesh-colored streaks and green leaves flecked with lime-green. This plant can grow up to 4.5 feet tall, forming a clump that adds a tropical look to gardens. It is a part of the aroid family and is appreciated for its decorative foliage.
Colocasia 'Pharoah Mask'
Colocasia 'Pharoah Mask' is a tropical plant with bright green leaves and prominent purple veins. It thrives in part sun with afternoon shade and prefers moist, well-drained soil. This plant is notable for its striking foliage and is often used in tropical-themed gardens.
Colocasia 'Blackwater'
Colocasia 'Blackwater' is a striking plant with glossy, jet black stems and dark olive-green leaves. It can grow up to 6 feet tall and spreads via black rhizomes, forming a 12-foot wide patch in three years. This plant thrives in rich, moist compost and is ideal for creating a bold statement in gardens.
Colocasia esculenta 'Coal Miner'
Colocasia esculenta 'Coal Miner' is a striking plant with a unique black leaf pattern on a dark olive background, emerging two months earlier than its relative, Colocasia 'Illustris'. This plant can grow up to 54 inches tall and features new leaves with a velvet patina. It is well-suited for a variety of garden settings, including bog gardens and rain gardens, and is known for its deer and rabbit resistance. 'Coal Miner' thrives in USDA hardiness zones 7 through 10 and prefers sun to part sun exposure. It is a tropical-looking plant that adds a dramatic touch to any garden with its bold foliage.