Blog: Enormous leaves for a tropical look to your garden
If tropical plants are your thing, aim for giant taro or Alocasia to grow probably the biggest leaves outdoors in a UK summer. Even bigger than Colocasia (elephant’s ears), they are related. However, where Colocasia leaves droop, Alocasia leaves grow upright, with a prominent midrib and ruffled edges.
There are almost 100 varieties, mostly used as houseplants, but I’m focusing on two green varieties that you can grow outdoors in pots during the summer. The larger is Alocasia macrorrhiza, and slightly smaller is A.odora, which carries fragrant flowers in good conditions. Leaves can reach up to 1m long, sitting on rigid leaf petioles up to 130cm, growing vertically from a stout upright trunk. Supposedly more tolerant of the cold than Colocasia, plants should keep their leaves until autumn.
A. macrorrhiza seems to be the hardier of the two. I managed to overwinter them in much the same way as bananas and Colocasia by storing them almost dry in pots in the conservatory
I’ve found they do best outdoors in summer in partial shade, and they love wet feet. Mine are in Rootpouch fibre pots, which sit in a Belfast sink on the patio. They’re sheltered from extreme temperatures and wind, providing a wonderful tropical vibe.
How to grow Giant Taro
I bought my tubers at Harrogate Spring Flower Show from Jacques Amand for a bargain £5 and £4.50 respectively. To compare one tuber of A. macrorrhiza from the RHS is £24.99! Start the tubers off in pots under glass in spring. Make sure the growing tip is just above the soil surface (look for shoots or roots, or the end with the concentric rings goes at the top). Water lightly at first and keep the compost warm. As the shoots appear, increase watering. Pot on into larger containers or plant out in June, when temperatures are generally over 10C.
Once outdoors, water well and feed with half-strength liquid fertiliser weekly. In autumn, lift tubers or bring pots indoors and reduce watering. They will shed their leaves as it gets colder, drier and the light levels drop. Keep the tubers dry and frost free during winter. If you have room, the pots can be kept indoors as a houseplant.
Alocasia odora
A very similar plant, with huge, glossy mid-green leaves with pale green veins. They can reach 1.2m long, carried on leaf stalks to 1.2m tall. If you’re lucky, plants may produce a pale green or peach flower in summer. These are fragrant at night, hence the Latin name. If you live in a colder or exposed area, it will make a great cool conservatory plant.
The plant’s maximum height and spread is 1.5–2.5 metres, less than the 3.5m x 2.5m of A. maccrorrhiza. However, it’s highly unlikely that they will reach these dimensions in pots and in garden settings. Roots will have to be constrained to allow them to be lifted indoors in winter.
Giant taro – Alocasia macrorrhiza and A. odora updated 2025
