Plant colocasia after frost, with the growing point up and about 1 to 2 inches of soil over the corm.
Plant after frost, with the growing point up
| Factor | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| When | After the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed | Do not plant into cold, wet ground that will rot the corm before it sprouts |
| Set | Growing point or pointy side up; about 1 to 2 inches of soil over the top | Do not plant it 8 inches down like a tulip, or eyes down |
| Hole | A compost-amended hole several times the width of the corm | Do not jam it into a tight, dry pocket in lean soil |
| Pond | A mesh basket on a shelf with the crown at the waterline | Do not drown new shoots under deep water |
Wait until frost is done and the soil is warm. Set the corm close to the surface, growing point up, then water so the hole stays moist. [1] [2] A heavy patio pot is on Colocasia in Pots.
How deep do I plant the corm?
Set the growing point up with about 1 to 2 inches of soil over the top. Do not bury it like a tulip bulb.
How to plant colocasia
Work one corm at a time: warm soil, set the growing point, then keep the hole wet.
- Confirm dark-leaf, speckled, giant, or taro on the tag. If the tag is only a cultivar name, match it on Types of Colocasia.
- Wait until after the last frost. In a short summer, you can start the corm in a warm indoor pot about a month ahead, then move it out when nights stay mild. [3]
- Loosen the bed about 8 inches deep. Mix in compost. Dig a hole a few times wider than the corm.
- Set the corm with the growing point or pointy side up. Cover so the top sits about 1 inch below the soil. Water thoroughly. [4]
- Space giants several feet apart; a 4-foot taro can sit closer. After planting, wet-soil care and the frost lift are on How to Grow Colocasia.
When should I plant colocasia?
After the last spring frost, once the soil has warmed. Cold soil delays sprouting and can rot the corm. Be patient — it can take weeks to show a leaf.
Plant in a pond basket at the waterline
Colocasia can sit in shallow water if the crown stays at the waterline, not under a deep flood.
- Line a mesh aquatic basket so the soil does not wash out. Fill it with heavy loam, not a light potting mix that floats away.
- Set the corm with the growing point up and the crown at or just above the soil surface.
- Cap the soil with a thin layer of gravel so fish and waves do not stir it.
- Lower the basket onto a pond shelf so about 0 to 6 inches of water sits over the soil. If new shoots darken or soften, raise the basket.
- Lift the basket before frost and store the corm as on How to Grow Colocasia. Do not dump extras into a Florida ditch.
Can I plant it in a pond?
Yes, in a basket on a shallow shelf with the crown at the waterline. Do not bury new shoots under deep water.
How to divide a clump at plant-out
A mature corm makes offsets. Snap them off at lift or at spring plant-out, with each piece holding a growing point.
- Dig the clump when you lift in fall or when you replant in spring. Brush off soil so you can see the offsets.
- Snap or cut each offset that has its own growing point. Discard any piece that is soft or rotten.
- Let a fresh cut dry for a day if the weather is cool and wet, then plant each piece growing point up, the same shallow set as a bought corm.
If you buried the corm too deep in cold soil, reset it now — do not wait for an empty hole.
FAQ
Can I start colocasia from seed?
Not as a garden shortcut. Named kinds come from corms or nursery plants. Buy a corm, or divide offsets in spring.
Should I start the corm indoors?
Optional in a short summer. Pot it up in a warm room about a month before last frost, then move it out when nights stay mild. Outdoor planting after frost is enough in a long summer.
Related guides
Recommended plants
References
- [1] The Old Farmer's Almanac -
https://www.almanac.com/plant/elephant-ears - [2] Longfield Gardens -
https://www.longfield-gardens.com/blogs/spring-planted-bulbs-all-about/all-about-elephant-ears - [3] Clemson Home & Garden Information Center -
https://hgic.clemson.edu/fun-with-elephant-ears-in-the-garden/ - [4] Wisconsin Horticulture -
https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/elephant-ears-colocasia-alocasia-and-xanthosoma/
This note is part of Colocasia Guides.
More planting notes by plant are gathered in Planting Guides.
Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors