Colocasia Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear Bulb

Colocasia Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear is a very compact variety, growing to a mature size of 18 to 24 inches tall and wideperfect for a small-space garden or patio pot. Having prolific basal branching, Tropical Storm forms a dense canopy of relatively small, dark purple-black leaves that flaunt a prominent contrasting creamy central streak and wavy margins. Borne on dark and glossy burgundy-red stems, the leaves are slightly cupped and exhibit burgundy red veins on the underside.

A Colocasia esculenta cultivar, also called elephant ear or taro, Tropical Storm is a frost-tender perennial Zones 8-12. With its very tidy, upright, and clumping habit, this versatile plant thrives in container gardens and may be grown indoors in a very bright location. It's stunning as a pond marginal or rain garden plant. When planted alone, its tropical leaves make a striking statement, while mass plantings provide a lush backdrop for colorful flowering plants.

Once established, Tropical Storm elephant ear is a low-maintenance plant, but it should never be allowed to dry out. It grows best in sunny to partly shaded areas with fertile, organically rich soil that stays consistently moist. In regions with intense summer heat, providing some afternoon shade can help the plant thrive. Deer resistance makes this plant even more appealing.

For best results, plant Tropical Storm elephant ear's 9- to 11-inch bulb in mid-spring, spacing them 18 to 24 inches apart and 2 to 4 inches deep, only after soil and air temperatures remain above 60°F. In colder zones, lift the bulbs in fall, store them in a cool, dry location where temperatures stay about 50°F, and replant in spring after all threat of frost has passed.