Colocasia Maui Gold - Elephant Ears

Colocasia 'Maui Gold' is a spectacular perennial that thrives in moist soil. It bears immense golden-green leaves that are carried by a very pale green petiole. This exotic plant will create a setting conducive to escapism on your patio or by a pond. It can be grown in pots in most regions, which can be brought indoors during winter. Gardeners fortunate enough to live in the right climate can try planting its large tubers directly in the ground, in acidic to neutral, rich, moist but well-drained, soil, in non-burning sunlight or partial shade. However, some protection will still be necessary for this plant, as it is sensitive to temperatures below -5 to -7°C (23 to 19.4°F).

Colocasia esculenta, also known as taro, is a cousin of arums. It belongs to the Araceae family. It produces very large cordate or sagittate leaves (meaning arrow-shaped or lance-shaped), which can exceed 60cm (24in) in length, at the end of thick and erect petioles. These immense leaves give the plant its other name of elephant ears. The plant multiplies and spreads with its large fleshy rhizomes which are rich in starch. A well-established clump can reach over 1.5m (5ft) in height and width. Originally from tropical Asia or India, taro is now extensively cultivated in all tropical and subtropical regions. It has been used for hundreds of years for its highly nutritious tubers, which local populations consume cooked, with a taste similar to sweet potatoes ("esculenta" also means "good to eat" in Latin). The young leaves are also edible, but be careful, as they are rich in calcium oxalate and therefore not recommended for individuals prone to kidney stones. In the most favourable regions, flowering sometimes occurs on mature plants in the form of summer yellow spathes

The 'Maui Gold' variety presents superb leaves with a chartreuse green lamina that turns golden green. The petiole is a pale green that is almost white. Its development is moderate and it will reach approximately 1m (3ft) in height and 80cm (31in) in width. It belongs to the Royal Hawaiian series, obtained by Hawaiian hybridiser John Cho. Plants in this series are robust, well-branched, and resistant to leaf spot disease.

'Maui Gold' is sensitive to frost. Literature indicates that it is resistant to very brief frosts of around -5°C (23°F), but you really have to live in a region with a very mild climate to be able to plant it directly in the ground. It likes rather acidic, very rich and light soil that is moist but well-drained. However, it is easy to grow in a large pot that you can place on a patio or near a pond. Keep the substrate constantly moist to avoid leaf desiccation. This will give you an extraordinary exotic touch! Of course, the pot will need to be stored in a cold greenhouse during winter. Ensure good drainage to prevent rhizome rot. The substrate should remain just moist over winter, but no more. You can also grow it as an indoor plant in a minimally heated and very bright conservatory, but you will need to be more careful about the possible arrival of red spider mites, which can proliferate if the air is too dry. Taro plants are heavy feeders, so provide nitrogen fertiliser in your pots and repot the plants occasionally to renew the substrate.

For exotic scenes, grow it with other exuberant plants, such as tetrapanax, gunnera, hardy palms like Chamaerops humilis and Trachycarpus wagnerianus, or even the hardy banana tree Musa basjoo. Most of these plants can be planted in the ground in mild climates.