Amazing plants for their sheer size although there are some small varieties like Colocasia Jenningsii.

Keep feeding and watering and the they will get bigger and bigger.

I also grew Xanthosoma but unfortunately this winter they somehow did not dry out and rotted in their pots. They have overwintered successfully for the previous four years.

These tender perennials ( or so I thought ) are a stable food source named Taro, an edible corm, in tropical regions. The leaves and stem are also edible but have to be boiled to neutralise the toxins they contain. Not sure how but a Burgundy stem has successfully overwintered outside with no protection for the last two years from 2016 albeit quite small in size and late to start growing.

I did find that it took about three years before the Colocasia started to flower and each plant will produce three to four flowers in a season one after the other, but not in quick succession.

If you plant outside it is a good idea to put a plastic lining under the plant as they like it moist to wet, then lift and store for the winter. Keep bone dry until the spring when you can moisten the soil but do not drench it. Allow the plant to grow then increase watering until plant is large enough to soak or stand in water. If I leave it in a pot I will generally use ones with no holes

Burgundy Stem is easy to propogate as it sends out runners that can be cut and laid in compost. Also the runners have bulbous sections with little nodules. Cut these off and pot on straight away. In a six inch high pot the roots will emerge from the bottom as early as two to three weeks with top growth as well.

With one of my Black Stem Taros I pulled it apart and potted on three new plants. These do not readily send out runners and Colocasia Esculenta does not send out any, well not yet anyway.

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Remusatia Vivpara is producing large leaves and has sent out a runner. It is said to be cold hardy so I will leave it out this winter with some protection.

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