Leaf Detail Portrait
Colocasia esculenta 'Fontanesii'
Violet-Stemmed Taro
Quick Facts
Morphology
About
Fontanesii is a tall, vigorous Colocasia esculenta selection with dark green leaves carrying a glossy black sheen, held on deep violet-black petioles that are the plant's real signature feature. Long grown as a garden and pond-margin plant, it's one of the most established Colocasia colour cultivars in cultivation.
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Before You Buy
Shared checklist for Colocasia esculenta and its cultivated forms
- The plain species is inexpensive and widely available as corms or potted plants each spring
- For 'Black Magic' or other named colour selections, confirm the leaf colour in photos matches the named form
- Check corms are firm, not soft or mouldy, if buying bare-root
- All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals and are toxic if ingested raw — keep away from pets and children
Propagation Guide
Growing More Plants
Shared across every form of Colocasia esculenta — see this form's own Morphology for variegation-specific propagation notes.
1-3 months
Cultivar character is preserved through vegetative cuttings
Produces offset cormlets readily, which separate easily from the parent corm. One of the easiest aroids to divide.
Care Guide
Growing Conditions
General care shared across all forms of Colocasia esculenta — cultivated forms may need brighter light or higher humidity than the plain species; check this form's Quick Facts above.
Rich, moisture-retentive mix: 50% potting compost, 30% loam, 20% perlite. Tolerates boggy conditions better than most aroids.
Keep consistently moist — this species tolerates and often prefers wetter soil than typical houseplants, even standing water at the base outdoors.
50-70%, tolerates average household humidity well outdoors or in bright rooms.
Balanced liquid fertiliser at full strength every 2-3 weeks during the growing season — a hungry, fast-growing plant.
Annually while actively growing, given its rapid growth and corm expansion.
Common Problems
Yellowing lower leaves
Natural leaf turnover as the plant grows
Remove spent leaves; only investigate if multiple leaves yellow at once
Spider mites
Dry indoor air
Increase humidity and treat with insecticidal soap