Repotting guide

When & how to repot Colocasia Blue Hawaii (Colocasia esculenta 'Blue Hawaii')

Also called Blue Hawaii taro, Blue Hawaii elephant ear.

More about colocasia blue hawaii

About Colocasia Blue Hawaii

Colocasia esculenta 'Blue Hawaii' · also called Blue Hawaii taro, Blue Hawaii elephant ear · tropical

Colocasia 'Blue Hawaii' is a compact elephant ear with chartreuse-green leaves marked by dark purple-black veins and burgundy undersides. It thrives in warmth, bright light and constantly moist, rich soil, growing 90-120 cm tall. A bog-loving aroid, it sulks in cold or dryness and overwinters as a dormant tuber in cooler climates.

Mature size: 90-120 cm tall and 60-90 cm wide; leaves up to 30-45 cm long.

How to tell colocasia blue hawaii needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For colocasia blue hawaii, watch for these signs:

Flowering has tailed off year on year and the clump has become congested and overcrowded.
Lots of leaf and few flowers — a classic sign that colocasia blue hawaii bulbs or tubers need lifting and dividing.
Bulbs visibly bursting the pot or pushing each other to the surface.
It is the natural dormancy window (foliage yellowed and died back) — the only safe time to lift and split.

For the underlying biology of a pot-bound root system and why it stalls a plant, see our guide to spotting and fixing a root-bound plant.

How often to repot colocasia blue hawaii

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, colocasia blue hawaii is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Clumping, upright tropical perennial growing from a corm; produces large peltate leaves on sturdy petioles in a vase-shaped clump..

What size pot to step colocasia blue hawaii up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant colocasia blue hawaii, set the bulbs or tubers at the correct depth (a rough guide: two to three times their own height of soil over the top) and space them so they are not touching. A wide, shallow pot suits a clump better than a tall narrow one.

Not sure of the exact diameter? Our pot size calculator takes the current pot and root spread and tells you the right next size — it deliberately recommends a single step up, never a big jump.

The best time of year to repot colocasia blue hawaii

The only safe window is dormancy: wait until the foliage has yellowed and died back naturally, lift and divide then, and replant before or at the start of the next growing season. Disturbing colocasia blue hawaii in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting colocasia blue hawaii

Wait for dormancy. Let colocasia blue hawaii foliage yellow and die back completely. Lifting while it is in growth wastes the energy it is storing for next year.
Lift carefully. Loosen the soil well away from the bulbs/tubers with a fork and ease the whole clump out without spearing them.
Separate the offsets. Gently pull the clump apart into individual bulbs or tubers. Keep only firm, healthy, blemish-free ones.
Replant at the right depth. Reset them in fresh rich, moisture-retentive loam at the correct depth and spacing — not touching — so each has room to bulk up.
Water in and rest. Water once to settle them, then keep on the dry side until growth resumes. Do not feed until leaves are actively growing.

Aftercare

After replanting colocasia blue hawaii, keep the soil barely moist — not wet — until shoots appear; bulbs and tubers rot in cold, saturated soil. Once leaves are growing strongly, resume normal watering. Hold off feeding until the plant is in active growth again.

The right soil mix for colocasia blue hawaii

Colocasia Blue Hawaii wants rich, moisture-retentive loam. Heavy, humus-rich potting mix amended with compost; tolerates poorly draining ground far better than most plants. A mix that holds water yet stays open enough to avoid stagnation and tuber rot suits it best. Always use fresh mix when you repot — reusing old, broken-down soil reintroduces the compaction and poor drainage you are repotting to fix.

Repotting colocasia blue hawaii — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot colocasia blue hawaii?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for colocasia blue hawaii. Colocasia Blue Hawaii is lifted and divided, not "repotted". Every 3–4 years, once the foliage has died back and it is dormant, lift the clump, separate the offsets, and replant at the correct depth in rich, moisture-retentive loam. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does colocasia blue hawaii need?

When is the best time of year to repot colocasia blue hawaii?

Do you "repot" colocasia blue hawaii, or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Colocasia Blue Hawaii grows from bulbs or tubers, so instead of repotting you wait for dormancy, lift the congested clump, separate the healthy offsets, and replant them at the right depth and spacing. Doing this every 3–4 years restores flowering.

Should you fertilise colocasia blue hawaii after repotting?

Hold off feeding colocasia blue hawaii until it is in active growth again. Fresh soil already carries enough nutrients to get it re-established, and feeding disturbed roots too soon does more harm than good.