Flowering Colocasia esculenta

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Debbie

Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Debbie »

Just noticed this morning..My Colocasia is about to flower...Is this normal? I can't remember reading about it anywhere, a typical aroid style flower ( take a pic later) not quite open at the moment....I don't think it will die after, not normal for aroids.....or is it???
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Dave Brown
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Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Dave Brown »

Hi Debbie, Looking forward to the pics :)

The standard esculenta you get from a supermarket is less likely to flower, as they breed them for maximum rhizome size (crop), but many of the more cool tolerant ones will flower in a normal year once the rhizome has reached flowering size in 2nd/3rd year onward. You tend to get a slowdown in leaf production as the plant diverts energy into producing the flowers. Most are yellow or white

Reliable flowerers for me are, C gaoligonensis, formosana, Fontanesii, and now looking like Thai Giant as having it's second lot this summer. Mojito flowers occasionally, and Pink China can, although hasn't for me so far, but not had any that I recall on Mammoth or Jack's Giant.
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Dave
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Debbie

Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Debbie »

Hi Dave and all,

Pics as promised,
1st one is the main plant plus 2 babies taken this year, (at least 4 more forming)
2nd of flower not out yet...re the leaves browning on the edges...burn or deficiency of some kind?
3rd...different view, new leaf as well :D there seems to be sort of 'blank' stems ( no leaf on the end) too...what are these?
4th... just shows how untidy I am! :oops:
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See my baby Hilo's in the background...so pleased with them, they seem to need major cosseting!
See my baby Hilo's in the background...so pleased with them, they seem to need major cosseting!
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Dave Brown
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Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Dave Brown »

Wow, that has a huge spathe forming icon_thumright , and obviously yellow.

The leaves brown around the edges as they get older. Colocasia do not have many good leaves per plant naturally with 3 or 4 at most. For a more full, mounded effect you need clumps of several plants. In a conservatory the humidity will be lower than outside so browning of the edges may happen earlier than in very humid conditions, and keep an eye open for Red Spider Mite.

The leafless petioles are where the plant is dividing it's growth point into a leaf portion and a flower portion, and is quite normal.

Most propagation areas look a bit messy, that is why nurseries have staff only areas :wink:
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Dave
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Palmer

Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Palmer »

I was surprised when my Colocasia Dark Stem flowered this year and produced not just one but three flowers.

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Tony
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Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Dave Brown »

Palmer wrote:I was surprised when my Colocasia Dark Stem flowered this year and produced not just one but three flowers.

Tony
At the right age. I found normally 2nd or 3rd year rhizome :wink:
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miketropic

Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by miketropic »

My electric blue gecko is flowering a coal black flower in its first year. its def a miniature type
Debbie

Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by Debbie »

My Colocasia has now produced 3 flowers...all have died off now...but do I remove them or not? The stems to the flowers are quite sturdy, showing no signs of rotting.... I am not a botanist here, but where I would expect the seeds to be ( don't know the correct name) is firm and plumping up quite nicely, can they self-fertilise? and the plant itself is undergoing a growth spurt, just put out 2 huge leaves about 18" in length...it is a bit cooler now though... :?
miketropic

Re: Flowering Colocasia esculenta

Post by miketropic »

Debbie wrote:My Colocasia has now produced 3 flowers...all have died off now...but do I remove them or not? The stems to the flowers are quite sturdy, showing no signs of rotting.... I am not a botanist here, but where I would expect the seeds to be ( don't know the correct name) is firm and plumping up quite nicely, can they self-fertilise? and the plant itself is undergoing a growth spurt, just put out 2 huge leaves about 18" in length...it is a bit cooler now though... :?

they self pollinate easy..if you have the right insects or hand pollinate. if they took the flower top will die the round bottom part will swell with seed if they didn't they will rot back soon. If it does go bad just cut them off with some scissors and a new leaf should come out soon.
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