Used as a staple food in much of the world, it is grown by us in Minnesota as a flower of all things. That would the same as going to Hawaii and seeing potatoes in their flower beds! Nonetheless, the massive leaves of this plant have the tropics written all over them.

Photos are unable to express how cool this plant really is, you will be impressed by the slight variegation that is not noticeable in most photos - I did not like this plant until I tried it about 4 years ago. This is a great plant to give your yard a tropical rainforest look. They are only $2-$5 a bulb, depending on size. You can dig an replant them year after year, they will even grow offsets. I personally plant them in pots using the Pot-in-Pot Method - I store them in the pots, soil and all in the basement. Some people consider soil to be the perfect medium for storing tuberous plant material.

Botanical Name: Colocasia esculenta

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Updated October 22, 2010