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Other Names:  Cocoyam, Dasheen, Taro

Group/Class:  Gecko™ Series

Brand:  Plants Nouveau

Description:

Large, dark and moody foliage creates a stunning backdrop for landscapes and borders; large, black foliage with maroon undersides and dark stems; in colder climates it can be removed after first frost and stored in a cool dry place until spring

Ornamental Features

Gecko™ Painted Black Elephant Ear is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. It features subtle buttery yellow tubular flowers along the stems in mid summer. Its attractive enormous heart-shaped leaves emerge forest green in spring, turning deep purple in color with curious burgundy undersides and tinges of black throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes

Gecko™ Painted Black Elephant Ear is an open herbaceous perennial with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Gecko™ Painted Black Elephant Ear is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Gecko™ Painted Black Elephant Ear will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant should be grown in a location with partial shade and which is shaded from the hot afternoon sun. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Gecko™ Painted Black Elephant Ear is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.