Colocasia esculenta 'Fontanesii' Black stem elephant's ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Fontanesii') kol-oh-KAY-shah ess-kew-LEN-tah Genus:  Colocasia This chic, black-stemmed elephant’s ear packs looks great in containers, beds, and borders. It also makes a wild addition to floral arrangements. Noteworthy Characteristics:  Elegant black stems and attractive, glossy foliage Care:  So long as it’s given ample moisture and sun, black stem elephant's ear performs well. Gardeners in cool hardiness zones may overwinter plant’s tubers indoors covered by peat moss during winter, after the leaves have been desiccated by frost. Propagation:  Plant black stem elephant’s ears tubers when soil is consistently around 70ºF. Separate offsets in spring or summer. Problems:  If the tubers are kept too wet during winter storage, they may rot. Keep the tubers and peat moss slightly damp, never wet.

Overview

Height Up to 6 feet tall Spread 1 ft. to 3 ft. Growth Habit Clumps Growth Pace Fast Grower Light Full Sun to Part Shade Moisture Medium to Wet Maintenance Moderate Characteristics Showy Foliage Foliage Color Green Uses Container Style Foliage Seasonal Interest Summer Interest Type Tropicals