Colocasia black coral vs black magic [Differences & Similarities]

Do you get confused between the colocasia black coral and colocasia black magic? Or are you interested in the characteristics of colocasia black coral? If you observe them properly you will notice some differences between the two plants.

The main difference between the colocasia black coral and black magic is, the black coral has dark, shiny, and black enlarged leaves whereas the black magic has arrow-shaped blackish-purple leaves. The black coral has the corm while the black magic has no corm.

Many gardeners become confused about the topic of colocasia black coral vs black magic. There are some tricks in their leaf color, leaf surface, leaf blade, plant height, and stem by which you can easily make a difference between them.

Colocasia Black Coral vs Colocasia Black Magic

Let’s have the differences between colocasia black coral and black magic at a glance in the following table.

Basis of comparison	Colocasia black coral	Colocasia black magic
Class	Remains in the Royal Hawaiian series	First natural black cultivar
Plant height	3′ to 4′	3′ to 6′
Plant width	2’ to 3’	3’ to 6’
Leaf color	Black leaves	Purple black leaves
Leaf surface	Glossy and smooth	Dusty slightly rough surface
Leaf blade	Large increasing downside	Arrow-shaped and slightly upward
Corm	Corm is present	Corm is absent
Compactness	Less compact than black magic	More compacted than black coral
Hardiness zone	7-12	8-10

Colocasia Black Coral And Black Magic

Colocasia black coral is a perennial and tuberous plant. It originated from Eastern Asia though now it is found worldwide. It is a cultivar under the Colocasia esculenta species. Dark, shiny and enlarged black foliage is the main identity of this plant.

Another variety of Colocasia esculenta is colocasia black magic. You can identify this plant with its blackish-purple foliage with long petioles. It was first identified in the Philippines and it is the first natural black cultivar of the colocasia genus.

Colocasia Class

At the very beginning, we would like to focus on the portion of how we can classify them inside the colocasia genus. 

Colocasia black coral is a variety remaining in the Hawaiian series. We can find many Hawaiian Colocasia cultivars like aloha, black ripple etc. Black coral is one of that series.

On the other hand, colocasia black magic is the first black cultivar of colocasia varieties. It is a natural variety that was first found in the wild areas of the Philippines. 

Plant Height

Now, come to the part about how long they can grow. To compare in this scale, colocasia magic grows more than black coral. 

Black coral can attain a maximum height of 3′-4′. The long stalks that hold leaves are the main part of their growth as their stem cannot grow much.

On the contrary, black magic can grow up to 3′-6′. Their growth is also dependent on their petiole. Thus, black magic can grow higher than black coral plants.

Leaf

To compare the leaves of these two plants, certain portions should be discussed separately so that you can realize them properly. These parameters are leaf colour, leaf surface and leaf blade.

Color 

When you look at the leaves of the black coral and black magic, you can see that both of them are black. But still, there is something that will make a difference in these black colors.

The leaves of black coral are darker than the black magic. Though the black magic has black-colored leaves, that color is dusty and pale and there is a purplish tint whereas the black color of coral leaves is shiny.

Surface

Next, you have to check the surface quality of the plant. The black coral leaf surface is waxy and glossy. If you touch it, you will get a smooth feeling.

Compared to the black coral black magic does not possess such glossy leaves. The surface is rough and pale, having a dusty look.

Blade

Lastly, the leaf blade should be noticed. The leaf blade or lamina is called the entire leaf portion started after the leaf stalk or petiole. Leaf lamina is large and increases downwards.

On the other side, the leaf blade of black magic is wavier than black coral and it goes slightly upward, which is different from black coral.

Corm 

After that, we have the corm as a differentiating basis. A corm is the stem part of colocasia black coral. It is also used as a propagating material in case of propagation. 

On the contrary, colocasia black magic has not corm. The stem of black magic is called a bulb from which the petioles are initiated and it also works as a propagule.

Compactness

Compactness expresses the spread appearance of the foliage of a plant. Between these two plants, black magic is more compact than black coral. 

The foliage of black coral plants spread more than black magic. That’s why they get a bushy shape whereas black magic takes a compacted form.

Hardiness Zone

In the last passage, we will discuss the hardiness zone, which is a parameter of how much a plant can spread its presence in a region. Black coral has a hardiness zone of 7-12 whereas this range is 8 to 10 in the case of black magic. That’s why black coral can grow in more regions than black magic. 

Similarities Between Black Magic and Black Coral

Though black coral and black magic have many differences, they resemble one another in some definite portions. To have a clear concept about them, it is important to research their similarities too.

Plant Type

At the top of our similarity list, we are giving priority to their type. Both of the plants are perennial and so they can develop and stay for a long time.

Besides, they are frost resistant. That means, they cannot tolerate cold temperatures below their minimum range which stop their internal metabolism activities. 

Petiole Color

The petiole is that portion of a leaf by which the leaves are added to the stem. Colocasia black coral and black magic both have long stalks which are purplish black. Both of the petioles are almost the same color that cannot be differentiated.

Flower

Flowers are a rare part of the colocasia plant. Blooming occurs after many years in some plants. Black coral and black magic are also under such categories.

They produce small yellow flowers in a spathe. The flowers are arranged at the inflorescence and develop in the spadix.

Benefits of Colocasia Black Coral And Black Magic 

Both of these colocasia varieties have some benefits. As they are from the same genus, their advantages are almost the same.

• The taro root can be used for eating purposes.
• The corm is a great remedy for baldness and body ache.
• They can be easily propagated through their corms and bulbs.
• They serve as ornamental plants to increase the beauty of your house. 
• Their plant parts like leaves, stems and roots can be used for the treatment of diarrhea, arthritis, asthma, skin disease, cancer etc. diseases.

Which Is The Best Between Black Coral And Black Magic? 

In this case, if you want to know which is the best houseplant between black coral and black magic, colocasia black coral may get the maximum vote. 

Firstly, black coral is much more popular for its shiny, glossy and smooth foliage whereas black magic has pale black color. As a result, the black coral is preferable as a houseplant.

Secondly, black magic is becoming a rare variety day by day. But you can easily find a black coral plant in your locality or may collect it from online websites.

Again, if you want to consider the price of these plants, black coral may take a much higher price than black magic for its extraordinary look.

We have focused on the points of how you can measure the superiority of a plant between them. So, now it’s completely your choice to pick one for your garden.

Caring Guide For Colocasia Black Coral And Black Magic

As both of these plants are from the same genus, they have the same requirements for maintenance and microclimate. 

Requirement	Black coral and black magic
Sunlight	Full sunlight but indirect and sometimes partial sunlight
Watering	Water when the soil is dry
Soil Type	Sandy loam and clay, acidic or neutral soil
Drainage system	Well drainage system should be provided
Temperature	Day temperature- 70° to 85° FNight temperature- 60° F
Humidity	70%
Fertilizer	Use dilute fertilizer once a month
Diseases	Use fungicide, bacteriacide or insecticide according to the symptoms

FAQs

Final Thoughts 

Well, this is the last part of our pinpoint discussion of colocasia black coral vs black magic. We tried to show every point of these two plants by which you can differentiate them.  

Hopefully, after studying this article you can easily understand which plant is in front of you. In this way, you can also choose your cherished plant which you want to place in your garden. It is needed just a critical look at the all-over plant and you will get the solution.