I too am awaiting the emergence of black magic and illustris. They are both supposed to be hardy here in 7b but shouldn't see any signs of life til late may or june as Rootdigger said. The plantdelights website says they are hardy for them down to 0 degrees with no mulch, so don't give up on them yet.

I bought mine already growing in pots from a woman who decided to take a break. She didn't lower her prices though! I purchased 2 black magics and 2 red stems for $15 each. They were already very big and I figured that it could be worth 15 bucks and I thought that it wouldn't be long before I'd have too many of them that it wouldn't seem like a pain in the wallet after all. At least, I hope they'll still be around. To tell you the truth, I am finding some relief that others are saying their black magics are taking their sweet time to return.

I have 7 little leaves of my black magic elephant ear poking thru the ground.....Next to it...I lost my big century plant, but its shot off 2 babies, but I just hate losing a plant that size (was 3 ft tall)

I bought the monster elephant ear from Plant Delights this spring.....we'll see!

If you want to get a jump start on the C. esculenta bulbs, pot them up and set them on a heat source. I use an old heating pad. Don't water until they start peeking up or they'll rot. Then just barely moist until they have leaves. After that they'll take all the water you can provide. If they do happen to start rotting, you can cut that spot out, (I use a light dusting cinnamon as a fungicide, when I don't have the other stuff) let them dry a few days before trying again.

Hey, RootDigger! Do you mean that you cut the spot away and put cinnamon (the spice?) all over that place? I mulched some ee's heavily last winter; when I uncovered them, there were large parts that were rotted. I scraped the decay away by hand. I have one in particular that has about 12 large knobs(term?) sticking out of the ground this year, but about 4 are doing nothing, although they aren't soft. The rest of the 12 have leaves, and some new knobs are appearing. Should I try to cut off the ones that are doing nothing? Thanks!

i had five quart pots of b.m wintered over in an unheatedd apt. room and brought them out three weeks ago they allhad leaves about 2inches ive put them in water bowls to see how they do my elephant ears are just starting to come out did not leave the b.m. inthe ground did not know they would winter over the bulbs in the pots all multiplied they are smnall up two 2 inches hope they get bigger

Thanks, Jeff...I'll take a look around this weekend and see what I can find.

Two of my three pots of black magic were new last year from an area flea market... large plants in 3-gallon pots for $8, each (whereas Park Seed was charging more than that for them in 4" pots the year before -- $15, each, I think).

Anyway, those two pots sat out all winter and are sitting out right now, elevated from the pond. I keep putting their bottoms in the water for a couple days, then back out again for a few days. I see NO signs of growth, but I started a new bed alongside the pond with my hardy banana, a ginger lily, a couple more large colocasias, a bengal tiger canna lily, a hardy Alocasia that stayed in the pot all last winter, and a Salvia uliginosa PFMastin sent me...

The LAST TWO PLANTS I want to put in there are those last two pots of Black Magic, and as I just planted the two big colocasia bulbs on the OUTSIDE of the bed (planning to put the Black Magic between it and the tiger lily and alocasia), I can't afford to wait too long to plant the Black Magic, or the new colocasias will be in my way...

Soooo, I'm thinking of unpotting them (my originally idea was to transplant the whole potted plant, just like with any other potted plant), digging out the bulbs/tubers, whatever, see if they ARE still viable, and then planting them where I want them.

HOWEVER, my banana and other plants in that new bed (which had soil taken out and heavy amendment done to make it rich, rich, rich), are past-due for a good watering, since we haven't gotten as much rain as forecast. If I do this with the two Black Magics (pull them out and plant them bare in the soil, then water the whole bed well), and they're still NOT quite ready to grow for the season, do you think I risk them rotting on me? This bed doesn't probably have the best drainage at DEPTH, but it should drain to well below where the bottom of the Black Magic tubers will be planted, when I water it.

Thanks for thoughts!
Jeff

Late this afternoon, as I really need to finish the planting in that new bed beside my pond and the two black magics were all I had left to plant, and since I didn't really need all the potting soil around them, anyway, I dumped them out of the pots and crumbled all the soil up and used it for part of a berm I built around a berm I made for a bed I have for hibiscus, cannas and other water-loving plants... sure enough, they were rotted to muck.

I went to Wal-Mart, as it was past 7 and HD and Lowe's were closed for the day, to see if they had any. They did, in 2-gallon pots, for $10, each, but they mostly looked pretty ratty... gonna see what else I can find before I buy THOSE.

Since I'm DETERMINED to put two Black Magics in that spot, now I'm kinda on "a mission" tomorrow to find two to replace the dead ones.

Oh well,
Jeff

Summer, cinnamon is used like dusting sulfur (fungicide) on bulbs when you cut them. I use it when I don't have sulfer around. I read something earlier where they are using cinnamon as a miticide and also an insecticide in a product called Cinnamite. I haven't seen it on the market around here yet.

Well, I went to HD and Lowe's a while ago, and neither of them had any Black Magic, so back to Wal-Mart it was... I found two that didn't look TOO ragged (two of the smaller ones, as I always feel I can grow a better plant if I start with it small), and paid $9.88, each for them. I'll get 'em planted in a bit.

Hope to have my stream up and running again in a couple of days! I also got a waterfall "cascade" at Home Depot, which has them for about half the price of Lowe's, since I'm moving my biofall back about 4 feet, so the water can cascade into the header pond, rather than a steep fall, which is causing too much splash out. So now as soon as I get those two Black Magics planted, I'm gonna work on moving my fall back, adding the cascade, blowing all the leaves out of my stream and having FLOW again for the first time since November! I can't wait!

:)
Jeff

Well, it's official. $60 down the drain. It's rather discouraging. Well, I should say $45 since one clump of black magic is still in the ground.

I decided to fish through the pots since I felt I could no longer deny the possibility that they rotted off. Several pots were full of those large white bugs and one pot had lots of worms. The only luck I had was a tiny dime-sized bulb from a red stem clump that was growing at the very bottom of the clump of bulbs.

I plan to dig up the black magic clump in the ground to see if I have officially lost all four. I'm willing to bet I did.

But I won't let this stop me. I'll just have to find some for cheaper this time around - just in case they don't survive the next winter. However, I do have plenty and plenty of green as always.

The trick, DragonStone, is to not let them stay wet during the winter. That's what killed mine, I'm sure, and likely yours, as well.

If you try again for next year, just quit watering them when it gets close to frost time, and after frost wilts all the stalks, cut them all down as close to the ground as you safely can, then cover them all with a few inches of cypress mulch... it's been working for me -- at least with the regular colocasias. I'll have to see what happens with the two black magics I just planted, but I plan to overwinter them the same way.

Good luck!
Jeff

I had them planted on the slope in the backyard. After the septic tank broke, they put a new one in. They decided to raise the backyard by putting pipes on ground level and bringing in tons of dirt to put over it.

I figured the slope would be well-draining but I guess not enough. I had taken them out of the ground just this spring to put them in pots like I did with the green elephant ears.

I do nothing to protect the green elephant ears. They're everywhere but I do suppose they have not been in soggy areas during winter. The slope part of the area can get very soggy.

But though, I also lost a small black magic that RootDigger sent to me two years ago and that was definitely not in a soggy spot. That one just disappeared. I went out back, saw the top of the bulb and dug it up and it was just gone.

I guess I'll have to cover them with mulch this winter. I do know one thing for sure, I plan to dig up some bulbs of the other varieties to keep in the greenhouse over winter, just in case. As for the green - I got many, they'll be fine. hehe.

I am however pleased to say that the silver leaf did return. I was worried I lost them as well.

They weren't called "Black Magic" but I found some "Black Leaf" elephant ears at Home Depot this weekend, in 1 gallon pots for only $6.97!

I think I'm going to give it a shot in that spot I wrote about above. The tag says "full to partial shade," but I've heard from lots of people (inconcluding Jeff above) that they'll handle much more sun than that. Heck, I can always find a more shady spot if they can't handle the sun.

Planted black majic elephant ears last year. In the fall mulched them heavy with a mound of fallen leaves 6 to 8 inches thick. To my delight, the Black magic has returned and the leaves are begining to unfurl. Also planted the green variety from the tubers a friend gave me (Thanks Jim!) they are popping up now too. The potted Caladiums I planted earlier in the season (I thought all had died) are also popping up. I think the soil has finally warmed up enough to encourage the growth of these foilage favorites........Dianne

inthegarden,

Mine came back too! I automatically assumed that they were not going to come back as far back as last fall...when I was too lazy to dig them up. About a week and a half ago I was poking around where they were and low and behold I have multiple plants now! Patience is a virtue as my mother always said.

i had a conversation with wayside about black magic EE; the customer service person told me that they have found that this particular EE does much better in shade than sun.

Have any of you looking for elephant ear tried the farmers market in Raleigh? I always check there for some of the more exotic things since they tend to be less expensive than some of the fancier nurseries. Another one i would check is BB. Email me if I need to decode this message. :)

I just bought a few black magic elephant ear bulbs at a local nursery (they were on sale). I've never planted these before, and I have a few questions.

Is it too late to plant them? Since I live in an apartment, I'd really prefer to grow these in big pots. Can I overwinter them in the pots if I leave them on my patio which is covered, and just keep them dry? And if it is too late to plant them for this year, will they store ok till next year in the plastic bags they were sold in?

Any advice would be deeply appreciated!

Melissa, I would say it's not too late to plant them. I haven't tried this late in the season, but they should come out in a few weeks and get at least a foot or so tall before frost comes along.

Black magic is supposed to be hardy down to 0 degrees, so if you keep those pots outside during the winter and just don't allow the soil to remain soggy (you don't want to let it get bone dry, either), they should do OK, assuming you actually grew them to some size this summer and fall. If you don't, of course, I'd just keep the tubers in a cool, dry, dark place over the winter (like an indoor closet in a cool room, or maybe a garage) and poke holes in those bags if they don't have holes (so they can't get mucky and rot from accumulated humidity.

But if I were you, I'd go ahead and pot them up in at least 3-gallon, probably 5-gallon pots, using good-quality potting soil, keep them well-watered (assuming the pots have bottom holes, this means probably every other day, at least), and you should see sprouts in 2-3 weeks at our current temps and have plants at least a foot or more tall before cold weather sets in. Wait until frost kills back the foilage, then cut the stems back to just above the soil surface, cover the tops of the pots with some mulch, and just stick them in a protected corner of your patio for the winter.

Happy Plantings!
Jeff

Thanks so much for the fast reply, Jeff! I will go ahead and plant those today following your advice. I just went back and picked up a few more. LA Reynolds, here in Winston-Salem, has marked them down to $1 per bulb. They were originally priced at $20 so you can imagine the snoopy dance I was doing out the door with these! If anyone is in the area, they still have some left.

I was re-reading this thread, and Jeff if you would like to have one of these I'll be happy to send you one...just email me. DragonStone, I'd also be happy to send you one...I know how frustrating it is to spend a lot of money on a plant and then it doesn't make it. You could try again with one of these and if it still doesn't work at least you're not out a lot. Just let me know. :)

$20 per bare bulb for those is WAY overpriced for ANYWHERE, Melissa, but I've never seen them for sale here any way but as already-growing plants (although I've been able to buy the regular Colocasia bulbs in large bins). As plants, growing in pots, their prices usually range from $6-$10, or more... I paid $10, each, for two at Wal-Mart in May because I needed two for that bed I was starting and figured my two from last year had bit the dust by being kept too wet over the winter...

Right now, Home Depot has a BUNCH of both the green and the black magic in 1-gallon pots that look just AWFUL... I keep waiting for them to drop the price, but knowing them, they'll throw them out for credit, instead.

I appreciate the offer, but I think the three I have now are all I have room for, at present, and as time goes by, they should multiply and I'll be able to "make more."

Happy Growings!
Jeff

Don't know if you've ever been through here and to that particular garden center, Jeff, but way overpriced pretty much sums the whole place up. Normally I don't shop there for that very reason, but I usually look in this time of year because perennials are half price and sometimes I can find odd things that no one else has.

Good luck with Home Depot and thanks again for the planting advice!

Hey Melissa, I bought some more black magic to replace what I lost last winter. I do know a friend who would love them so I'd like to get some. How much would shipping be if I asked you to buy me three bulbs if they're still going for a dollar each?

Can't imagine that it would be much. As it happens, I planted two, gave away two to friends and have exactly three left which you are welcome to...don't worry about postage, I'll take care of it. Consider it my random act of kindness for today. :) Just email me and let me know where I need to mail them to.

Melissa
(gardenbrat@gmail.com)

what really amazes me is how my b.m.has multiplied last year i wintered them over in a sun room very little water very small leaves put some in pot with watere as i do bengle tiger and tropicana to see how they would do they did great then i divided them and put some in sun some in partial hade the ones in shade as jeff said are over three ft i am going to leave half in the ground this year and pot the rest up and winter them over i always learn somehing reading every ones comments thanks ps i have ple3nty to divide if some one is nearby LOL

I have some Black Magic growing in a half barrel- northwest exposure. Does it have a chance of overwintering? Or should I pot up some babies to put in a more protected location and how soon?

As long as you don't keep it wet over the winter, Shari, it should overwinter OK. If that half-barrel is a water garden or has no drainage, you'll need to bring it in, maybe (although the big rectangular pot my one survived in has no drainage).

That one that survived in the big rectangular pot, outside, didn't show signs of life until early June, so give it plenty of time if you DO leave it outside over the winter, in a pot... putting a mulch covering on top of the pot (I use Cypress mulch for that) couldn't hurt, either.

Good luck!
Jeff

I e-mailed you Melissa. :) Thanks!

The Farmer's Market in this area (Greensboro/Winston on Sandy Ridge off I-40) has EE's for $5 a gallon pot. Big Beautiful ones! I got some Black Magic, Nancyana (I think, has the yellow streak doen the center but the yellow hasn't started spreading out) and one I can't identify, It has the metallic coloring of Wentii, purplish on the backs of the leaves, but the leaves are huge and point up like portadora.

Although I understand the Black Leaf EE is not as sun tolerant as the regular EE, my newly planted Black Leaf is doing great in its full-sun location.

Of course, it gets a good soaking every morning (on a timer) so it has plenty of water to pull from.

Time to revive this thread. Jeff told me I might be able to overwinter my Black Magic in my half barrell this winter but now I'm thinking... I'll be too impatient for something to look at in that barrell come spring. What are my chances at digging them out now and bringing them in? Anyone have experience storing them bare in a cool dark place? I could pot up what I dig out I guess but is that oaky now that they are going dormant? The tops are dying back but I haven't cut them off yet and I stopped watering after the first damaging frost.

I dig some up every year and store them under my house for the winter. It never freezes under there. I store the elephant ears along with other tropicals. I have overwintered brugs, cannas, lots of things. That way, if the ones in the ground don't make it, I have replacements.
Denise

Do you pot up the EE's before placing them under the house?

Sharil, the regular C. esculenta can be pulled up and laid somewhere cool and dark to dry, but the black magic should be potted up and I 'barely' keep them moist in the winter. Not too much or they'll rot. In the spring once you see them start sprouting again you can put them somewhere sunny and give them a little water. Blk Magic is really late coming back.

Thank you! I would have left them bare had you not posted. That half barrell is in a prominent spot and I am so ready to do something to improve the view.

Hi I live in zone 7 and my Black magic have come back every year for three years. They are very late to emerge
preferring the ground temps to be around 80. They prefer
Full Sun part of the day, with some filtered shade in the
heat of the day. They like lots of water. Mine are always
planted along with my Variegated Banannas and Little Blackie
Sweet Potato Vine. All do really well together.

I live in 7B. My Black Magic have returned for a couple years. They take their time, but they make it.

Glad to see this thread still around!

My Black Leaf (still don't know if they're "Black Magic" or not) EE's last year really took off by the end of the growing season. 5'+ tall...with all kinds of offspring popping up in a 4' radius around the original plant. Very healthy and beautiful.

Unfortunately, it hasn't shown any sign of life at this time. Judging by this thread though, I shouldn't expect to see any until late May/June anyway. I'll check back in around that time and see how everyone else's are doing.

I've got a Black Leaf Elephant Ear sighting!

About 3 feet from my initial planting spot, and on the edge of a walkway actually, I have a little, but fully-formed black leaf poking up out of the ground, about 4" tall. This is way earlier than I had expected from following this thread.

Still no sign in the original planting area though.

We've had such a mild winter we may see Blk Magic earlier than usual. In ground I've got Colocasia esculenta, C. Fontanesii/Black Stem, C. Chicago Harlequin, Alocasia cucullata/Hooded Dwarf, and A. Portadora coming up, but no Blk Magic yet in Z-7. The black stem is already leafed out. It's always the first up.

My black magic have started to come up with small leaves. I'm pretty pleased that all three bulbs have shown life. It surprises me because none of my greens have grown yet and they're usually the first to make an appearance.

I have one Illustris that has made an appearance, one silver leaf that has made an appearance (which surprised me because I thought they died off last summer. They really did not thrive at all for some reason), and quite a few of Chicago Harlequin. At least, that is what I think they are. The nursery claims they were CH but I don't believe they are. I planned to get rid of them come spring but I figured I'd give them a second chance. Since they have runners, I decided to put them in a pot this spring. My Nancy Revenge died off and I really have no interest in replacing it.

mrsig - I can't help but wonder if you have Black Runner if leaves have popped up farther away. Black Magic clumps together while Black Runner sends runners to grow plants further away.

dragonstone - That may be the case then because this thing sent runners all over the place last year after it got going.

Still no sign of any others though.

Mrsig, the same thing happened with ones I had at the last place I lived. They turned up several feet away in the lawn! If I had only been looking for them where they were planted and we had mowed carelessly, I might never have known they came back. I decided to just enlarge the bed they were in to incorporate them rather than trying to take them up and replant them where they were. BTW, that place was very boggy - we even had several natural springs. Everything stayed wet all the time and water sometimes bubbled right up out of the ground! But the elephant ears didn't seem to mind. I must say, though, that the black ones never got anywhere near as HUGE as the green ones. Where we live now is sandy and the EEs haven't like it much...probably not getting enough water or not catching it before our "excellent drainage" kicks in.

Update - I now have 3 other Black "Runner" EE's popped up elsewhere, within 2-3 feet of the original I posted about above.

Still no sign of my caladiums though.

Having just bought and planted a black elephant ear, I'm delighted to have discovered this thread! I have a tiny water garden in full sun and decided to use part of an old pond liner to create a boggy area on one side of it, and of course that's where I planted the elephant ear along with some water celery.

I gather that at the end of the growing season I should dig out the elephant ear and pot it up for the winter. Good to know! This plant cost me $12.99 at one of the local garden centers, so I want to make sure it survives. I planted it last weekend and it's so happy it's already sending up new shoots.

There is a nursery on Hwy 74/76, "Purple Pepper" between Wilmington and Maco, that has great prices on water plants. Today I bought a 'Black Magic' EE in a short 1 gallon pot for $6. It only has 3 leaves, but they are about 18" high. They also have other water plants at fantastic prices.

This year I planted seven green elephant ears and twenty black magic from bulbs. They have all come up...but they are all green! They are about a foot high and have been up for about a month. Is there any explanation as to why the BM did not turn black?

They were either mislabeled or they're not getting enough sun would be my guess. Even without enough sun though you should be seeing some sign of color?