Repotting guide

When & how to repot Colocasia 'Mojito' (Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito')

Also called Mojito Elephant Ear, Variegated Elephant Ear, Mojito Taro, Elephant Ears.

More about colocasia 'mojito'

About Colocasia 'Mojito'

Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' · also called Mojito Elephant Ear, Variegated Elephant Ear · tropical

Colocasia 'Mojito' is a dramatic variegated elephant ear with huge green leaves splashed and streaked in near-black purple. This fast-growing tropical wants warmth, bright light, and constantly moist, rich soil. The ASPCA lists Colocasia esculenta as toxic to cats, dogs, and horses, so keep it well away from curious pets.

Mature size: About 1.2-1.5 m (4-5 ft) tall and wide outdoors; somewhat smaller in containers indoors. USDA hardiness zones 8-10.

How to tell colocasia 'mojito' needs repotting

Repotting on a calendar is less reliable than reading the plant. For colocasia 'mojito', 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 'mojito' 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 'mojito'

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest. Rather than a true repot, colocasia 'mojito' is lifted and divided once the clump congests and flowering drops off. Tall, upright, clump-forming tropical grown from a tuber. Bold, ovate variegated leaves up to 60-90 cm long are held on light-green petioles streaked dark purple. A naturally occurring branch mutation discovered in 2007 and later patented; it rarely flowers, with any blooms hidden in the foliage..

What size pot to step colocasia 'mojito' up to

Pot size matters less than depth and spacing here. When you replant colocasia 'mojito', 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 'mojito'

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 'mojito' in full growth or flower sets it back badly.

Step-by-step: repotting colocasia 'mojito'

Wait for dormancy. Let colocasia 'mojito' 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, humusy, moisture-retentive mix 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 'mojito', 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 'mojito'

Colocasia 'Mojito' wants rich, humusy, moisture-retentive mix. Use a fertile, organically rich soil amended with compost. It tolerates heavy, wet ground better than most plants but benefits from some drainage; a peat- or coir-based mix with added perlite works well in containers. 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 'mojito' — frequently asked questions

How often should you repot colocasia 'mojito'?

Lift and divide every 3–4 years once clumps congest for colocasia 'mojito'. Colocasia 'Mojito' 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, humusy, moisture-retentive mix. Crowding, not pot size, is what reduces flowering over time.

What size pot does colocasia 'mojito' need?

When is the best time of year to repot colocasia 'mojito'?

Do you "repot" colocasia 'mojito', or lift and divide it?

You lift and divide it. Colocasia 'Mojito' 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 'mojito' after repotting?

Hold off feeding colocasia 'mojito' 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.