Colocasia esculenta 'Hilo Bay' 'Hilo Bay' elephant's ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Hilo Bay') kol-oh-KAY-shah ess-kew-LEN-tah Genus:  Colocasia The foliage of ‘Hilo Bay’ looks almost like crinkled taffeta hanging off black stems. Planted en masse, this selection makes an elegant yet whimsical statement. Noteworthy Characteristics:  Textured foliage and black stems . Care:  The foliage of ‘Hilo Bay’ looks almost like crinkled taffeta hanging off black stems. For optimal performance, give it rich, moist soil in full sun to partial shade. 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 tubers when soil is consistently around 70°F. Offspring shoots can be transplanted. Problems:  Leaf edges burn if the soil dries out too often. 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 4 ft. 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