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Alocasia and xanthosoma not puping Why?

hightider
10 years ago

My colocasia are all puping however none of my large alocasia and xanthosoma are? Have yautia varigated macrohizos,thai giant,lutea,portora,odora white and yellow,big dipper,,calodora jacks giant,,have most in large pots plenty of water some in ground and no pups, why

Comments (4)

  • grabmebymyhandle
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ok... I'll do my best to field this one...

    Don't take this the wrong way... We are who we are...
    But you have this very rushed air about you...your posts are so brief and include... Less info than I would like... I think that's why no ones answered yet...
    It's the reason I haven't anyway...

    So if you don't mind answer some questions, please?

    How long have you had these plants?
    How big are they, height, leaf size, and circumference at the soil?
    Are they in ground or potted?

    Those are the most important ones...

    Without more info I can say:
    Colocasia are generally pupping machines, if it takes more than one season of growth to get a pup, that's a weak grower or conditions were bad or both...
    With running colocasia your almost guaranteed pups by this time of year, I have bonsai violet stems less than 8" with runners galore... Very thin tiny runners...
    Xanthosoma act more like colocasia, but they don't run much, but some, sort of... And always underground to my knowledge, they also pup at the base...
    But not until they are ready...usually only one season tho...

    Alocasia are alltogether different!
    Forget runners!
    The alocasia you listed really don't run at all like a colocasia can...
    At most they make thread like short runners maybe an inch or 3 away from mama and form a good little bulbil... They rarely grow unless that runner is severed from the parent plant... I find them repot or exhume them for winter storage... But occasionally I find one on top of the soil... They also rot off from the mama plant and grow too.
    Most often, what mine is pup right at the base, from the eyes in the side of the bulb, there's an eye hidden under each petiole were they join the bulb, once the leaf withers and dies thus eye will eventually swell, spit out a leaf and away it goes!
    They're a really problem for my odora, the babies constantly emerge once there's 3 or 4 the main plants growth slows to a crawl and the pups take off!
    It makes it hard to get a massive specimen... Which is what I want!
    My solution is to make sure to not bury the trunk very deep, that way there's no new eyes u set the soil line, and when one does take I let it size up and then slide a putty knife between it and the trunk of the big plant and cut it off and yank it out!
    It atleast slows pup production...

    One big thing is that once most any EE perceives that it's restricted in its pot, it will start pupping!
    I way under pot some just to get pups!
    In ground they will get bigger! And usually grow faster, a big mature plant, in theory, should make big pups, and they should grow faster than in a pot...

    And ofcourse, each plant is it's own monster with its own preferences, lutea for me is slow! 2nd year and no pups!
    Thai giant CAN pup underground, but unless potted or restricted rarely does! They often don't even make a central bulb...
    On the other hand... Just try and stop Big Dipper from pupping!
    And once those macorhizos get about 3-4' tall they will be the same story I'm sure, but I've never grown either if the variegated ones you list there...

    I hope that helps!

    I really want some pups from some of those!
    Maybe they will kick in gear soon...

  • hightider
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the info very helpfull,My thai are in the ground and in large pots with great soil,only had two pups last year,none this year, my mickey mouse pups all over no problem. my potora is in pots very large looks grate no pups,my odora the same way. lutea is huge no pups in pots, my macrorrhiza odora white and yellow is there first year doing nicely,my alocasia caldora good size in pot no pups,alocasia wentil no pups.yautia large pot no pups wentil no pups, colocasia on the other hand are giving pups or off shoots lime aide,lime zinger,coffe cups, black runner, black magic,elana,illustrious,diamond head,blue hawaii,elapio,hi lo beauty, mojiti.black coral,cue ball and metalica have not puped,most of the alocasia ans x anthomens are over two years old,my problem is I have to many plant collection many different agaves,canas,crape myrtles,palms,banana plants and many many shrubs,I garden on four acres with two fresh weater ponds and one salt water ald different types of water plants lotus ,water lilies ect. I am 85 and giving out,tending my paradise and its wearing me out,so I guess you coud say I am a plant collector specialist in none since my garden is organized chaos ,I am not much at writing sorry Hoitider

  • grabmebymyhandle
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No need for apologies!

    Walt, if that's not a typo, and really 85...hats off!

    For one I thought you were like 35-45 tops!

    I'm 30 and tending my 1/2 acre garden is a big job...

    Does the garden keep you young?

    So to the point...
    Thais pup very rarly, mine pups underground, they don't emerge, I dig them out when taking the plant up for winter...

    All those large alocasia will pup once they decide to, if there's any trunk exposed heap dirt in it...

    I suspect that if you dug them up and removed all the soil, you'd find little nuts in the soil, look like acorns, they are pup but wi t grow toll split off fro bathe mom...
    The long list of plants that haven't pupped is a little baffling, most of those pup like crazy for me!
    Always in a season...but atleast here the weathers been terrible for EE...cold! Or really hot and dry...
    I'm suspicious that it may be lack of fertilizer, mine get alot!
    I use 10-50-10 water soluble, and just sprinkle it right on the ground about 6-8" away from the plant and then promptly water it in, it's even better if you can catch it right before a slow soaking rain and let the rain dissolve the salt..

    This is very risky!
    If u get one grain of the salt on the plant it burns it right up!
    Get it down in the center if the plants and it'll burn it right down to nothin!
    I doubt you can get a hose to all of your EE if they cover 4 acres, so thus may not work for you!
    Osmocote or a more traditional top dressing may be your best option,...

    Colocasia just want so much food!
    Water too!
    It's really too late to do a lot about this year, you have time to dose the them one good time before it gets too cold.
    The good news is that if the plants are potted then your in great shape for next year!
    Do your very best to get them thru the winter... Please if you need a hand eemail me and ill do my best to help out!
    Once next spring arrives, repot them, divide them, whatever you call it, and see if there's dormant pups in the soil, if so get em out and repotted, they will be slow to start.
    Take the mother bulbs and plant em in fresh soil, big pots if you want to keep em potted, use 1 gallon pots to start ones that are destined to go in the ground( I think you should try some in ground, they do much better!) and as soon as you can get em outside, do! Even if it's cold, once it's not gunna frost get em out side, and fertilize as often as you can!
    If all goes well, you'll find several bulblets in the soil next spring, and the big bulbs should certainly produce pups by next summer!

    Ill be emailing you in the next few days to work on our trade, it's really going o cool off Friday...

  • hightider
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Great info. especially about thais,pupping in the ground,ill be shure to check carefully when I re plant them, one of my thais is 8 inches in diameter,but only seven ft tall, my lutia are giving it a run for the money.I try and grow most of my aroids in large contaiers with good potting soil and black cow, however I am now putting most in the ground as I know my kids wont take care of them like I do,again thanks for so much great info LOL Walt

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