With Taro, the lower leaves do die off and it sends forth new ones.

Why no drainage in your pond? I have my Black Taro submerged to the top of the soil in my pond. Sometimes the water falls a little and it does not seem to mind that at all.

I have Black Magic and Imperial growing in water and have for some time. Both are doing exceptionally well. They are potted in just plain old dirt and not a fancy potting mixture.

I received two black magic EE's in a trade this year. I planted one in my bog garden and one in my pond margin. The one in the pond is surviving with three small leaves on it sticking up about 5 inches out of the water. The one in the bog garden thriving, it's about three feet tall with about 7 or 8 huge leaves. I also have an imperial taro (illustrus) in my bog garden which is thriving. The same thing happened with my yellow flag iris, Louisiana iris, golden club and pitcher plants. They just are doing so much better in the bog garden than they did in the pond.

There are many reason this can happen.

They could be going through a period of adjustment from being planted in a place that they are not used to. Assuming you just purchased this plant? If not then it sounds like it is getting a bit of root rot. If that is the case you will have to dig it up and clean it very well and prune it back. Let it re grow in a more drainable area.

If they are in full sun they will hate it. Dappled light and even shade works best for these guys in all of the varieties.

That is the experience I have had with mine.

Now my questions to you are this:

What medium (clay/gravel) is your taro planted in ?
The two I have mentioned work the best I have found.

Is it planted in a pot in the ground/pond ?
It may not have enough room to grow. There other reasons too but that is important as well.

Is it submerged too much?
The do not like to be submersed. Pull them up more out of the water where the majority or more, of its leaves are out of the water.

If you could give more conditions of this plant I think you would get more precise answers?

Good luck!

In clay, outside of the pond, but in a pot with no drainage. The pot is very large for the plant. It is a new plant.

I would put some holes in it for drainage. Sitting water isnt always bets for plants even if they are water plants.

For example, if I left my phothos (ivy that loves to be in water in a vase inside my house for example) in standing water and did not change it out it would develop mildew and rot and stink really bad. So I have to change the water a minimum of once a week.

Add some drainage holes to it. If it is a reletively small plant right now it is sitting in water that is much great than its root system and the water is stagnant.

Let us know what happens?

I've been reading up on how they grow taro in Hawaii in flooded fields. The trick is to always have at least a leaf above the water. It sounds like you do have part of the plant above water, so I don't know. The bog experience has been better for me too. I have some taro in pots set in my waterfall going down into my koi pond, and it's doing great, only half the pot is in the water, so the roots can get down into the water if they want to, or stay up top and breathe, too. The pot has plenty holes in the bottom. That plant is Illustris, and its doing better than any of my other Illustris. So, experience seems to point to having some of the soil above water level at least.

I too have had similar issues with Taro. I put mine in pots and then those pots in a rectangular container without holes. Even though they are not too deep, the water will probably stagnate. Guess I better move them.

Taro is a plant that lives along the sides of rivers and lakes in nature. These plants are only in water when the water source floods.It's the same as aquarium plants 3/4 of them grow on the banks of the rivers until the river floods and then they are able to live under water for an extended period of time.

So you are saying if I plant my taro in my bog container (aluminum tub planted in the ground, with a mix of my garden soil - clay - peat moss, manure, compost), it should thrive, or should I put some gravel in the bottom of the tub?

Susan

i rather put taro or bog plant in a bog plant container, no drain holes container cause plant roots to decay and may kill the plant too.

ive planted b.m in pots no drainage with leaves above the water and they do well ihave taken some out of their pots and divided them and they are now 3 ft tall great looking and very bushy seems lihe the water gave them good root growth and when planted in the right location little shade they tahe off mine have multipied quite a bit lol

If planted in a pot in a pond, the taro will do well. However in a pond the water is moving, fertilized by fish and also oxygenated. I also plant Taro in a bog area, or a damp area. They do REALLY well there. This year, I planted some in a large pot, with drainage, in the sun, and I hate to admit they are not doing as well as they did in partial shade in the garden which was well watered.

..... so many variables...