Purple Pot Strikes Again!
The large, purple pot strikes again with another elephant ear, but this time it’s the species—Colocasia esculenta. In supporting roles I planted purple heart (Tradescantia 'Godzilla'), coral bells (Heuchera 'Peach Flambé' and H. 'Tiramisu'), New Zealand iris (Libertia ixiodes 'Goldfinger'), and two coleus (Solenostemon 'Mahogany Giant' and S. 'Trailing Red').
I planted the purple pot at the end of April and it sat in the greenhouse until the end of May. I waited for the Colocasia to join the party—and I waited—and waited. At first, I thought the long cold spring made it reluctant to peek out of the soil, but by the end of June, I concluded that the bulb was a dud.
This container was supposed to be all about the foliage, even though slugs nibbled on many of the leaves, I broke off a few too many purple heart stems while moving the container, and Heuchera ‘Tiramisu’ sent up tall and beautiful racemes of creamy white flowers on yellow stems.
To my surprise on the last week of July a Colocasia leaf poked up above its pot mates. When I spotted the unfurling leaf, I rolled my eyes and said, "It's about time!"
Within a few weeks, it sent up many leaves as if to make up for its tardiness. As the plants come into their summer stride, I am enjoying them on my front deck—better late than never.
Debbie Teashon
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Wendy Tweton and Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners)
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