Do you have the elephant ears with black stems and dark, dark greenish leaves? I do not know what they are called but I have some to trade.

Hi Barbara: I have some pups of alocasia macrorhyza (both green and variegated), also Alocasia cuculata, and Colocasia Black Runner and Nancy's revenge. If you don't have these and are interested in trading, I would love to trade for Xanthosoma Mickey Mouse, Colocasia Black marble, Colocasia crinkles, and Alocasia sinuata. Let me know if we can trade. Thanks cocomo

Hello Reptilegrrl! I will try my best to answer your questions and help you with your Xanthosoma plants. "I have read that these are heavy feeders. About how often do you feed them? And what? Should I just feed them what I give my veggie garden and houseplants? I've been giving them some fish emulsion as I plant them." As a fertilizing you can use regular 20-20-20 (diluted in water) and give them this fertilizing every 2 weeks during growing season. This should be good to them. I use this fertilizing with the plants that i cultivate in my plantations and beleive me they are monsters. Obviously they are cultivated in the ground. In the other hand, i also use Osmocote 14-14-14 (pellet of slow release) in the plants that i have in my house (potted). And they grow like crazy. The reason why i use 2 different methods with my plant depending on where they are cultivated it is only a matter of space and time. I use 20-20-20 diluted in water with the plantations because it is cheaper and faster to disperse in large scale. Then i use the slow realese with the plants in my private collection, just because that way i can save time. You can try any of these, or any other fertilizing that is well balanced. I have never used fish emulsion, but i have heard from a lot of people that use it with great results and success. "Also, have you ever transplanted a large corm? I want to take the big plants with me when we move. They have corms more than a foot long and thicker than my arm. I am not sure how deep their root structure is and I don't want to damage them in moving." Yes! I have taken out of the ground corms of more than 18 inches long and 8 inches in diameter without any problem. I have removed all the roots, cut away the leaves (more than 8 feet tall)and then planted them in other places without problems. You can do the same, obviously the plant will die or will be severly damaged, but the corm will produce a new main plant and several new plantlets. The corm will produce new plants as soon as it is planted in the new place. And even if you just throw the corm over the ground it will produce new plants that will become mature plants realy soon. Xanthosoma plants are a very prolific and strong, as long as good conditions are granted, like warmth and high humidity. "The largest plant is infested with whiteflies. I've treated it a few times with insecticidal soap, but as soon as the whiteflies are gone, thrips move in! Should I be more aggressive with the soap?" I cannot give you any advice on this theme becuase i have never had this problem. Maybe you should use a stronger insecticide. If you have more questions, feel free to make them, i will galdly help you. By the way, here are a couple of pictures of some X. violaceum in the wild on my lands: Have a great evening, Jorge Joel... Emilia's Garden

Joe, I'd suggest you post a request on the International Aroid Society mail list Aroid l (as in list). I was given a specimen of this beautiful plant by another IAS member in the spring and suspect some of the IAS members likely grow it. Mine hasn't produced an offset yet or I'd gladly share it with you. You don't need to join the IAS to post a request, just join the mail list. The chances are good someone will know how to find the plant. You should know this plant gets big! Mine is five feet tall in just four months and in the past I've grown Xanthosoma species to well over 10 feet. Get a big pot! Here is a link that might be useful: Aroid l