What's eating my colocasia gigantea?

Colocasia gigantea's enormous leaves make it a prime target for deer, slugs, and snails in garden settings, while aphids and spider mites attack container-grown plants. Its sheer leaf size means even moderate slug or deer browsing removes a significant portion of the plant's photosynthetic area quickly.

Huge leaves bitten through or entirely removed; stems may be broken; damage is dramatic given leaf size Erect deer fencing at least 6 ft tall; apply motion-activated repellent sprays; relocate to a walled garden

Large ragged holes in the massive leaf blades; slime trails and irregular margin damage visible in the morning Apply iron-phosphate slug pellets in a ring around the base; hand-pick at night; use copper-tape barriers for containers

Dense colonies on petioles and leaf undersides; honeydew drip causes sooty mold on the broad leaf surfaces Blast off with a garden hose; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil if reinfestation occurs within days

Stippling and bronze discoloration on leaf undersides, particularly in dry or indoor overwintering conditions Raise humidity, mist leaf undersides regularly, apply neem oil or insecticidal soap every 5–7 days