Biggest colocasia leaf. I challenge you!

[Yorkshire Kris]

Well who can grow the biggest colocasia leaf? I will be trying to get the biggest on my Jacks Giants. Currently just over 30cm in length. Aim to get one over a metre by autumn.

Post your measurements and pictures here...

[Dave Brown]

No pic from today as I've been to visit my daughter at Uni. Just been out in the covered area, with a tape measure, where they are all lurking away from the windstorms.

Only two real contenders for leaf size, and they are well, well ahead of at any year at this time. Biggest is Mammoth at 54cm and the biggest Jack's Giant is 43cm.

Here is a pic of the Coli-fest on 22nd April

[sanatic1234]

I will join your challenge next year kris. I am still waiting for the shoot on my colcasia rhizome to form some roots before I can pot it up. Good luck those who are in for the challange. I will keep a eye on the results.

[Yorkshire Kris]

Looks like your way ahead already Dave. I think I have 4 Jacks Giants this year so we'll see how it goes.....

[SteveW]

I've got a Thai strain Gigantea here from Kentgardener,his one topped 1m last year so hopefully I'll get mine to somewhere near that
Other contenders are normal gigantea,that refuses to pup
And Mammoth,biggest from this last year was a measly 85cm,almost not worth bothering with

Last year

Child used for scale,ran out of wine bottles,lol

[Yorkshire Kris]

My Jacks Giant only got to around 65 cm last year because it kept pupping instead of growing bi leaves. This year I will get rid of the pups asap.

[CW01]

I'm up for it Kris last year had Esculenta ' Mammoth' leaves 1 metre long

[kata]

What a whoppa CW!!!

[GoggleboxUK]

I really wish I could grow Colocasia but whever I put one it would block so much light to another part of the garden. Superb jungle plants, I envy you guys.

[Yorkshire Kris]

I'm up for it Kris last year had Esculenta leaves 1 metre long

Great stuff! Has to be a 2011 leaf and NO PHOTOSHOPPING

[mattvg]

i would like to join the big leaf elite but i dont know what colocasia i have anyone got any idea where to get hold of Mammoth or Jacks Giant i know junglegardens sell them but are expensive

[Rick1965]

You could try Amulree, Matt.

[Yorkshire Kris]

They do seem to be in short supply... Amulree and Vale normally have a good selection.

[Dave Brown]

I'm up for it Kris last year had Esculenta leaves 1 metre long

I think your post could be very misleading. Colocasia esculenta is the Common Taro and a staple food source for millions. It can be grown from Eddoes and several other named bulbs from Aisian and Oriental food shops.

The problem is that if people hunt down Colocasia esculenta most will end up with the food crop grown for the size of it's rhizome, not the leaves. If you end up with 1m leaves these are almost certainly named varieties grown for the gardening trade in the US.

By all means grow Colocasia esculenta, but don't expect 1m leaves, 45 to 60cm max are more probable

We refer to 'Mammoth' and 'Jack's Giant', but they are Colocasia esculenta Mammoth and Jack's Giant.

Just another point. The 'Mammoth' I refer to is not an official cultivar. We don't know it's actual name as it was a mislabled bulb sold as 'Alocasia' by Wilkinson's in 2007 and 2008. We nicknamed it 'Mammoth' on here. Maybe we need to refer to that one as HTUK Mammoth, as the Jungle Plants Mammoth may be the official cultivar.

[CW01]

Maybe the "Esculenta" that i refer to is actually Mammoth. I did buy Colocasia 'Mammoth' from Mulu a few years back but the Esculenta was bought from Focus DIY. Point taken Dave i shall now just call them all Mammoth