Xanthosoma, along with Colocasia, Alocasia, and other genera with large leaves in the Arum (Araceae) family, are commonly called Elephant's Ear. Xanthosoma is a New World genus with about 50 species, all native to Central and South America. Their large leaves make them attractive ornamentals and some species are also cultivated for food, mostly for their tubers, but the young, unfurled leaves are also eaten.
Xanthosoma mafaffa 'Lime Zinger' has a great name because its huge leaves are a shade of chartreuse that's sometimes called Day-Glo yellow. It's a slow grower during the spring, but grows rapidly once hot, humid, summer weather arrives. From a tuber about the size of a baseball, set out after the last spring frost, it can easily grow 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide by the end of the summer if provided with moist, rich soil and partial sun. In the past I've dug mine for winter storage, not a difficult task despite the plant's huge size, but I have enough tubers now to store some and also leave some out for testing.
Close-up of Xanthosoma mafaffa 'Lime Zinger' foliage 
Xanthosoma mafaffa 'Lime Zinger'
If 'Lime Zinger' has you reaching for your sunglasses then Xanthosoma violaceum will have you removing them. That's because its leaves are a cool blue-green with purple margins. Its petioles are also purple and on a healthy specimen there's often a purple overlay on the upper leaf surfaces. I haven't been growing this one for long so I'm not sure if it will mature as large as 'Lime Zinger', but I sure hope so.
Xanthosoma violaceum
Close-up of Xanthosoma violaceum petiole
2 comments:
The first time I saw Colocasia 'Illustrious'growing (third photo...back) it was growing all across a neighbors back yard like grass. He mowed them down like they were grass...there was no grass, just the elephant ears. I have always remembered that and kept mine (from this same neighbor) safely confined to a pot and saucer!
Thanks for the comment. Yes, that's Colocasia 'Illustris' in the background of the first picture of Xanthosoma violaceum. You're also correct that it's a runner and needs to be kept in check. The other elephant's ears I grow, including both of the Xanthosoma featured in this post, make clumps and don't run.
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