colocasia - black magic

[sanatic1234]

I have just put my colocasia - black magic outside for the first time to graduly acclimatise it. I did even think about leaving it out over night with the low only being 6c? This will probably without doubt be too much for it all in one go though.
In the uk is colocasia only hardy to a zone 8 or a zone 9 i am hearing both on the internet from different sites?

[metalhammer]

If they are hardy to Zone 8,why aren't they growing wild here,a large part of the UK would be zone 8.



metalhammer.

[sanatic1234]

EXACTLY! I am hearing zone 8 from one website then zone 9 from another it gets very confusing as to which one to believe so i thought i would ask you guys and get a proper answer.

[Dave Brown]

If they are hardy to Zone 8,why aren't they growing wild here,a large part of the UK would be zone 8.



metalhammer.

Because zone 8 is only an average of coldest temps. It is the duration of cold/wet that sees most off. Oh, and also our lack of a summer compared to the US where USDA zones originate.

I do wish people would not use USDA zones as they just don't work for us here. Compared to the US we have a spring and an autumn, we don't get their summer or their winter

[sanatic1234]

Thanks for that info dave. That has cleared that up. I do agree with you though people shouldnt use USDA zones especially when looking on uk website!

[Dave Brown]

My Black Magic is in the water feature in the conservatory with temps up to 38C in our recent hot weather. Even in the water I have had a bit of Res Spider Mite. I've had to wipe these off with a wet sponge as it is difficult to wet the leaves..... they are so waterproof

It is maybe not as black as if it had been outside but should get a 5 feet plant later in the summer