Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito'

Prepare for a true showstopper. Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' is one of the most highly sought-after elephant ears for a reason. Every massive, shield-shaped leaf is entirely unique, heavily splashed and speckled with dark purple to near-black mottling against a bright green background. The stems (petioles) are just as impressive, featuring striking dark streaks that add to the tropical drama.

This is a fast-growing statement plant perfect for injecting an instant jungle feel to your patio, border, or conservatory. In a good UK summer, 'Mojito' will quickly push out enormous leaves, reaching upwards of 1.2 to 1.5 meters tall.

Growing & Overwintering Colocasias are essentially marginal bog plants — they are incredibly thirsty and hungry. During the active summer growing season, you almost cannot overwater them. They thrive when sitting in a saucer of water and require regular, heavy feeding with a high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer to fuel those colossal leaves.

'Mojito' is not frost-hardy. As temperatures drop in autumn, you have two choices: either move the pot into a bright, frost-free conservatory or greenhouse to keep it growing slowly, or let the foliage die back after the first light frost, lift the corm, and store it dry and frost-free (like a Dahlia) until spring.

Quick Care Guide

• Light: Full sun to partial shade. A bit of dappled afternoon shade helps prevent leaf scorch during peak summer heat.

• Water: Keep consistently wet during the growing season. Never let the compost dry out in summer.

• Soil: Rich, moisture-retentive, heavy loam or organic compost.

• Feeding: Very heavy feeder. Apply a liquid feed weekly from late spring through late summer.

• Hardiness: Tender (H1C/H2). Must be protected from winter frosts.

• 4 litre pot