Colocasia esculenta ‘Diamond Head’ Morning Star (Our Own New Hybrid)

The Colocasia esculenta ‘Diamond Head’ is a magnificent cultivar of Elephant Ear prized for its dramatically dark, tropical foliage. Part of the Royal Hawaiian series, it stands out with its large, heart-shaped leaves that display a remarkable, glossy, deep purple-to-black color, which can almost appear jet-black in certain light conditions. Unlike the matte texture of some other dark Colocasia varieties, ‘Diamond Head’ boasts a high-sheen finish, giving the leaves a shimmering, almost wet appearance. This plant is a tidy, clumping perennial, typically reaching to feet ( cm) in height and providing an instant, bold, architectural accent to any garden space or large container.

This cultivar thrives in warm, humid conditions, requiring a consistent abundance of water and nutrients to achieve its full size and deepest color. It performs best in an area that receives full sun to partial shade, as a high level of light is necessary to intensify the foliage’s striking dark pigmentation. ‘Diamond Head’ must be planted in rich, organically moist soil and is an excellent choice for boggy areas, pond edges, or heavily watered garden beds, though it can also be grown indoors in a bright, humid spot. Being a frost-tender plant, its tubers must be lifted and stored over winter in climates colder than USDA Zone 8.