Aroids of various taxa have become very popular over the last few years. Their spectacular forms, wonderfully large leaves, and variously textured leaf surfaces make them striking accents for the open garden or container. It hasn't been so long since Elephant Ears, Colocasia esculenta, and the common bedding Caladium, Caladium bicolor were about the extent of it. Now there are dozens of selections of a range of genera. Plant Delights Nursery is one of countless on-line nurseries that offer a ridiculously wide selection; PDN has selected and introduced their own cultivars while offering a wide selection of established and new varieties. Here in Washington the tropical aroids work particularly well because of our hot humid summers. A few, notably Colocasia e. are root hardy to some degree, but generally it's better to dig and store the rhizomes.
Brad has hundreds and stores them in various places depending on their needs. Many just spend the winter in open baskets in a coolish dark basement. He's engaged in reviving them now and they're all over in various stages of revivification. I was a bit surprised to see one horizontal in a greenhouse window, but hey, they're tough and it'll no doubt be planted by tomorrow!
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Plant Delights has also just published an article about Colocasia at http://www.colocasiaelephantear.com/ . Check it out
Wow. Good treatment. Now we can all know everything....well, a lot anyway.
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