Black Magic question

[sanatic1234]

Some advice please. Is it normal for a leaf to die as soon as a new one has appeared on a colocasia black magic. Mine has been doing this ever since i brought it All i am getting is 2 leafs at a time and no more?

[grub]

I hate both Black Magic and Illustris San, both of them die ultra quick in my cre; maybe you're of a similar ilk . Once I have managed to overwinter both of these only for them to expire within a fortnight of being in the ground , normally I just kill'em

[sanatic1234]

To be honest grub the black magic is quite annoying me. Its looks nice for about a week till the leafs start to die. I did wonder if it was exposed to too much sun light but it says on the care instructions to give direct sun light and to fertilize regular. Which to be honest I havent done. This may be the problem?

[Dave Brown]

San, Black Magic is one of the most difficult Colocasia to please. It is not happy in our climate and should not be planted out. I have done this but it tends to stop it in it's tracks. It requires a higher temp than we can normally provide and high humidity with it to avoid crisping of the leaf edges. I only grow this in my consevatory water feature now where it gets 30C plus on most late spring, summer, and early autumn days with around 20C min. The humidity is just high enough to keep Red Spider Mite under control, and it grows like a rocket

This one I picked up from Simon at Amulree at the end of May for £8. It is an already established plant with several rhizomes It has more than doubled in size with the last leaf opening two days ago, so not turned black yet.

I agree with Grub, Black Magic and Illustris, are a pig to keep going. A far better bet is Black Beauty which I have been growing for 3 years now. It is happy with my summer temps in pots and planted out, although as I found last year is not hardy enough to be left out, but was quite happy growing at around 6C. I also picked up a new plant from Simon at Amulree, but I notice it has gone from his webpage now so may have sold out.

Black Magic in the water feature

Black Beauty happy outside

[weve]

Thanks for the info. Planted my new black Magic out 2 weeks ago. Knew they were very difficult to overwinter but didn't know about the summer problems too. (I still find Aroids a very confusing group, for some reason. )

Very early days, of course, but no problems with mine yet, which appears to be continuing growth and retaining its older leaves, despite my cool westcountry temps (hitting around 23c). Keeping it moist/wet with a watering pipe installed. (Watering it with sun-warmed water kept in old milk containers). It has also started new growth from the base too.

Now I've found out it can be difficult in the summer, it probably will be from now on

Here's a pic (EDIT Changed the pic to one where you can actually see the plant! (The previous pic of a black plant lurking in the shadows is not much use really )

[countrylover]

My Black Magic grows nicely, plenty of leaves but they're quite small. I don't know what's wrong with my Burgundy Stem and aquatilis. They're placed in the pond. The weather is hot, lots of sunshine but they grow very poorly. Within last 10 days each one produced only 1 leaf. Their roots systems are strong and spread on the pond bottom. Don't think they're starving cuz 14 big and 1000's of little fish produce enough 'fertiliser'.
What am I doing wrong??

PS
Will take some pics when it stops raining

[redsquirrel]

explains why the 2 i planted out are doing next to nothing.will hoik them back out saturday and put on the free to collect list

[Dave Brown]

It depends what you mean by "in the pond".

I have found Burgundy Stem and Fontanesii do reasonably well as a marginal but with the rhizome above water level. Not heard of aquatalis before so can't say. Black Magic grows quite happily with the whole pot suberged if the water is warm enough.... above 23C. The water temp in a pond is always cooler than in a free standing pot so they will always lag behind pot grown ones. You are better off standing a pot in a dish of water, so they have access to as much as is required, but the pot warms up much more than pond water

[countrylover]

Thanks Dave.
Black Magic has roots fully submerged. The other two - 2/3 of the pot is above water level so roots get much more heat. Wish I could stand those pots in saucers but I don't think my parents would remember to fill them up with water every day.
I'll try to treat them with hormones or some chemicals to improve their growth.

[SteveW]

I had some aquatalis last year,but lost them in the winter
Only real difference between it and a normal esculenta is the flower,which on aquatalis is supposed to be orange I think,whereas esculentas yellow(?).I could be talking utter drivel on this,but think thats right