Full Specimen Plate
Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant'
Thailand Giant Elephant Ear
Quick Facts
Morphology
About
Colocasia gigantea is a genuinely different species from the many Colocasia esculenta cultivars that dominate this genus's popularity — a much larger-growing, thicker-stemmed plant that can produce leaves well over a metre long at maturity, popularly sold in the UK as "Thailand Giant" for patio and pond-edge landscaping. Unlike esculenta, its petioles attach at the leaf edge rather than the typical peltate centre-attachment, giving mature plants a distinctly different silhouette. Like other Colocasia, it dies back in cold conditions and regrows from its rhizome/corm when temperatures rise.
Native Range
Thailand
Market Analysis
Auction History & Retail Data
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Before You Buy
Species-specific things to check when evaluating a listing
- Understand this is a large, fast-growing landscape plant, not a compact houseplant — plan space accordingly
- Check the rhizome/corm is firm, not soft or rotten, if buying dormant stock
- Confirm with the seller whether the plant/corm has overwintering instructions for the UK climate
Propagation Guide
Growing More Plants
2-4 months
Cultivar character is preserved through vegetative cuttings
Divide offsets from the base of an established clump once they have their own root system.
Care Guide
Growing Conditions
Rich, moisture-retentive soil: 50% potting compost, 30% loam, 20% well-rotted organic matter — tolerates boggy conditions well.
Keep consistently moist to wet during active growth; this species tolerates far more water than most aroids and does well at pond edges.
60-85% preferred, though it is more tolerant of drier air than jungle-floor aroids given good root moisture.
High-nitrogen liquid fertiliser every 2-3 weeks during the growing season to support its fast, large growth.
Size up annually while actively growing — this species quickly outgrows small containers.
Common Problems
Foliage collapses with the first cold snap
This species is not frost-hardy and dies back rapidly below around 10°C
Lift and store the rhizome/corm somewhere frost-free over UK winters, or grow in a large container that can be moved under cover
Small leaves that never reach full size
Insufficient light, water, or feeding
This species needs abundant water, feeding and bright light to reach its full giant scale
Not Just a Bigger Esculenta
It's easy to assume Thailand Giant is simply a supersized Colocasia esculenta, but the non-peltate leaf attachment is a genuine structural difference between the species, not just a size difference. A true statement plant for anyone with the outdoor space and a plan for overwintering it.