"Go big or go home!" We've all heard that expression talking about everything from ice cream sundaes to giant pancakes!
I wondered if the folks at Vesey Bulbs were thinking of that lately: on a cold day last week, we got their bright, beautiful new catalogue in the mail. It was full of "go big or go home" plants! One of them really caught my eye: it was called elephant's ear, "Thailand Giant". It was absolutely stunning: in the photograph, a person was standing in the middle of the leaves of an elephant ear plant, and they looked as thought they must be three feet across and maybe four feet long! The little write-up said that the plant was hardy zones 8 - 10. But still, I wanted to learn more about it, so time to do some homework!
The elephant ear belongs to the taro family, Colocasia Esculenta. They like warm climates, lots of water, and regular doses of fertilizer. While they obviously can't stay outside all year in our climate, they can be grown over the summer, then the corms can be dug up and brought in for the winter. We would store them in a cool, dry spot in our basements. While they are dormant, we shouldn't let them dry out completely. The elephant ears won't reach the same larger-than-life size that the plant would attain in the tropics, but it would still make a very impressive show in the garden!
There is some variety in the elephant ear family, too. Some have foliage that is solid green, some have yellow splashes, and some have a very dark, almost black foliage. Because this plant belongs to the taro family, there was a little more information about how the plant is a staple for starch in the Hawaiian Islands. Indeed, this plant is where "poi" comes from.
Besides the "Thailand Giant", the catalogue also showed an elephant ear called "Mojito" which was a beautiful yellow and green variegated plant. Some other "go big or go home" plants in the Vesey catalogue were dinner plate dahlias and giant lilies.
They're all beautiful and perhaps a little extra work, but if you're an intrepid gardener who loves a challenge, give them a try!
My Mom would have been undaunted by reading "zones 8-10" in the description. She loved to try new things in the garden! She would have taken that as a personal challenge to make that little plant realize that yes, it really did want to grow in zone 3! Not only grow, but thrive! And you know what? Many of the plants she tried actually did do very well, in spite of the fact that they were not meant for our area. So don't be afraid, gardeners! Go boldly and try some of those wonderful new plants!
If you were thinking that you would like to join the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society on our road trip on Saturday, April 30, you might be in luck! The group will be going to Regina to tour Dutch Growers greenhouse, and then on to the Regina Floral Conservatory. It will be a great mini-getaway, just one day, so if you think you would like to go, just give Liz a call at 782-2830. There are a few seats left on the bus, not many, so call Liz soon!
The Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will meet again on Wednesday, April 20, and our special guest will be Robert Vallaster speaking about "Growing and Using Herbs for Natural Healing." The meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Sunshine Room at SIGN, North Street, Yorkton. Everyone is welcome!
Have a good week!
