Taro 'Voodoo' ???

From: Steve Marak <samarak at arachne.uark.edu> on 1997.05.25 at 05:15:21(773) At a local nursery today which offers many water garden plants, I was checking off the various colocasia species and cultivars when I saw something new to me - it was labeled "Black stem taro 'Voodoo'". It was by far the blackest leaf on a taro I have ever seen - I'm familiar with C. antiquorum 'Illustris' (which they also had, in a very nice dark clone) but this was much darker. Stems and leaves on the 2 rather small plants I saw (in 4-5 in [10-12 cm] pots and at most 15 in [38 cm] tall) appeared entirely black. Very attractive. Does anyone know anything about this plant, as to sources, eventual size, etc? Steve +More -- Steve Marak -- samarak@arachne.uark.edu

From: grsjr at juno.com (George R Stilwell, Jr.) on 1997.05.25 at 16:31:42(774) Steve, Check with Tony Avent at PlantDelights Nursery. He has one giant totally black taro. +More Ray

From: Tony Avent <tony at plantdel.com> on 1997.05.25 at 16:35:42(775) Steve: I am guessing that your Voodoo taro is a nomenclature corruption of the Colocasia 'Black Magic' that was introducted by Walter Pagels of CA, from a botanical garden in the Phillipines. It is being tc'd in Florida and is slowly getting distribution under a variety of incorrect names. Although it is not in our catalog, we are offering this variety, as is Southern Exposure Nursery in TX. The face of the leaves is solid black, and it will grow 7' tall in moist soil, but only 3' as an aquatic. I hope this helps. Tony Avent +More Plant Delights Nursery 9241 Sauls Road Raleigh, NC 27603 USA ph 919 772-4794 fx 919 662-0370 email tony@plantdel.com USDA zone 7, 0F-100F "I Consider Every Plant Hardy Until I Have Killed It Myself...Three Times" - Avent

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