Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant'
Colocasia gigantea · Thailand Giant Elephant Ear
Typical UK price
£13
Price by size
- Sold, 90 days
- 0
- Middle half
- -
- Last sold
- 11 Jun 2026
- On record
- 1
- Sale
- Typical
- Middle half
- Estimate
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About Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant'
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
Southeast Asia (Thailand, Laos, Vietnam)
Classification
- Genus
- Colocasia
- Family
- Araceae
- Type
- Wild
- Growth habit
- Large rhizomatous/cormous herb, seasonal in UK outdoor conditions
Morphology
- Leaf shape
- Broad ovateEgg-shaped leaves, with the wider end near the base., non-peltate (petiole attaches at leaf margin, not centre)
- Leaf length
- 80-120 cm at maturity
- Leaf width
- 60-90 cm at maturity
- Petiole colour
- Pale green, very thick
- Venation
- Prominent primary veins
- Texture
- Matte, slightly velvety
- Variegation
- None
- Growth habit
- Large clumping herb from a thick rhizome/corm
Recent UK sales
For sale in the UK
By month
| Month | Median | Sold |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 | £13 | 1 |
Before you buy
- 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
Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant' care
- Substrate
- Rich, moisture-retentive soil: 50% potting compost, 30% loam, 20% well-rotted organic matter; tolerates boggy conditions well.
- Watering
- Keep consistently moist to wet during active growth; this species tolerates far more water than most aroids and does well at pond edges.
- Humidity
- 60-85% preferred, though it is more tolerant of drier air than jungle-floor aroids given good root moisture.
- Feeding
- High-nitrogen liquid fertiliser every 2-3 weeks during the growing season to support its fast, large growth.
- Repotting
- Size up annually while actively growing; this species quickly outgrows small containers.
Common problems
Foliage collapses with the first cold snap
Cause: This species is not frost-hardy and dies back rapidly below around 10°C
Fix: 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
Cause: Insufficient light, water, or feeding
Fix: This species needs abundant water, feeding and bright light to reach its full giant scale
Gear for this plant
- Flowers of Sulphur, 99.99% PurityDusted onto a fresh corm or rhizome cut to guard against rot before repotting.
- Digital PAR/PPFD Light MeterMeasures usable light at leaf height in µmol/m²/s, rather than relying on the eye's sense of brightness.
- Digital Hygrometer & ThermometerLCD humidity and temperature gauge for checking a grow spot against a plant's target range.
How to propagate Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant'
- Methods
- Rhizome/corm division, Offsets
- Difficulty
- Easy. Forgiving of missed waterings, average home humidity, and imperfect light. A solid pick for beginners or low-fuss collections.
- Time to establish
- 2-4 months
- True from cuttings
- Yes. Cuttings keep the cultivar's character.
- Notes
- Divide offsets from the base of an established clump once they have their own root system.