Two of my 'Thai Giant' which have a single growth point, no pups, have produced a +- 42" tall cataphyll and leaf from the central growth point. Both have been produced within the last 2 weeks or 13 to 15 weeks after planting out. Up until this time all new leaves grew out of the petioles of the preceding leaf. I've not noticed this in C. esculenta hybrids and am wondering if this is typical of C. gigantea?

Recent pics of the plant above and a second plant, both of which were offsets separated out this Spring.
Plant above
Second plant with labels

I labeled the 2nd plant in order of appearance. A. large leaf. B. Cataphyll. C. Leaf petiole out of cataphyll. D. Inflorescence out of leaf A.

Both plants are growing in the same way so I guess that supportive cataphyll is a precursor to bloom.

A colocasia of mine did that too.

Hi Andrew, which one?

The biggest one I saw is one that I didn't use in pollination in my thread, but when it opens tomorrow, I probably will. It has a large cataphyll, I will take a picture of it tomorrow if I get home and it's still light out.

If you turn your head sideways, the cataphyll is to the right and down from the inflorescence, which has that discoloring because I cut a small hatch into it to pollinate it today.

Thanks Andrew, I see the cataphyll and hope your efforts took. I'll have to pick up illustris or 'Black Beauty' next year to see if I can get one of them to bloom.