Colocasia escuenta Black Beauty Elephant Ear

These plants are very delicate and lose leaves during shipping or soon afterwards thus main reason trimmed. Leaves will regrow quickly DO NOT ORDER THIS PLANT UNLESS YOU ARE OK WITH THE PLANT ARRIVING WITH DEAD LEAVES OR LOSING ALL LEAVES AFTER IT ARRIVES.

This item does not ship to CA, HI, AK. If sent to CA Buyer assumes all Risk, no returns, no refunds, may be confiscated by Department of Agriculture.

General care Alocasia and Colocasia can grow outdoors year-round zone 10, 11, some sites say 8 and 9 with covering and trimming down in winter. Some varies more cold hardy than others, indoors near window or in bright room. Like well drained but moist to boggy conditions, do not let hard dry.

Tropical Plants Potted Care

From spring through late fall, water the crown of thorns plant when the soil feels dry down to depth of about the length of your finger to the first knuckle. Water the plant by flooding the pot with water. If you have a drain plate, dish under the pot do not let water remain more than a couple hours, empty so medium, soil does not get soggy. In winter, allow the soil to dry a ½ a finger down before watering.

Feed the plant with a liquid houseplant fertilizer. You can feed every two weeks in Spring through Fall, summer, during Winter, dilute to half strength and feed monthly. If your plant is a flowering type remember you feed to grow, give light to bloom! Bright indirect light works for most plants.

Re-potting the plant should be done to next size up, 4” to 5” to 6” to 8” best in late winter or early spring. When plants mature re-potting generally can be done every two years mainly to change out most of the soil with fresh, rich medium. Use proper potting mix not planting soil, it needs to drain well to keep potted pants from staying too wet and allow air so roots can breath. Use a mix made for your type of plant, you can find a cactus/ /succulent at any garden store. Use bark, peat, sand soil mixture for most other Tropical plants. No soil for orchids, they grow on trees so use orchid mediums. Wear potting gloves, latex gloves and sterile tools when trimming to keep from spreading disease like fungus. Also, many plants can cause skin irritations when leaves stems break.