Planting DesignDiscover the right plants for your garden.
Elephant ear plant life bring to bear in mind lush , tropic forests , adding drama to both gardens and container . The most recognize form have heart- or arrow - shaped leaves ( often outsize ) with decorative veining , exalt the common name elephant spike . No plant meet the craving for a taste of the Torrid Zone like elephant ear plants . Popular in Victorian sentence , they have enjoy a metempsychosis in the late craze for zone - denying alien plant .
COMMON TYPES OF ELEPHANT EAR PLANTS
pith to Heart ™ ' Splash of Wine ' . pic by Proven Winners .
Zones:
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Caladium plants , sometimes called angel wings , are well suited for small gardens or produce indoors . aboriginal of South America , they offer an incredible compass of colors , including greenish , white and red / garden pink .
con and care for caladiums .
Colocasia EsculentaIllustris . Photo by : Proven Winners .
originate in tropical share of Asia and India , Colocasiaplants like it fond and humid . Their leaves aim downward and they have edible genus Tuber , promise taro . Their size makes them a big specimen plant . If you ’re lucky , yours may acquire Zantedeschia aethiopica lily - corresponding flowers .
Warning : CertainColocasiaspecies are consideredinvasive along the Gulf Coast .
Photo by : Daniel Fung / Shutterstock .
Hailing from subtropical Asia and parts of Australia , Alocasiaplants are sometimes called African masque industrial plant . Unlike other elephant ears , their leaves point up and their tuber are n’t edible .
Learn and deal forAlocasia .
pic by : Garden World Images Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo .
Natives of tropical America , Xanthosomaplants wish very ardent and humid conditions . LikeColocasia , the Tuber ofXanthosomaare comestible . This type of elephant capitulum is less common for growning in home gardens than the other types .
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ELEPHANT EAR PLANT CARE
High drama and bluff texture are the signature welfare of showcasing elephant ears in a garden or container . grow them is simple — they like filtered sun or nuance and rich , moist territory . They ’re grown from tuberous rhizomes and can reach impressive size quickly .
Fully hardy in Zones 10 to 11 . Elephant ear will only truly expand in warmer area like to their aboriginal humid climates of Southeast Asia , and with daytime temperature of 70 to 85F , and nights no lower than 60F. They can be grown in coolheaded orbit , but will need to be replant each twelvemonth .
Most choose filtered Dominicus or shade , but some suffer full sunshine . In world-wide , green types can take high light spirit level ; darker - leaved ones need more filter light or tone .
Elephant ears need productive soil that is dampish ( not saturated ) , but well - run out . Most do n’t like wet feet , though a few are tolerant of wet conditions — like the large - result colocasias you might see in water gardens . A cosmopolitan rule is big , green elephant capitulum are practically indestructible and can tolerate varying wet conditions ; dark - will type will support if over watered and can stay dry for several days .
Watering:
To prevent disease problem , water in the morning so they go into the night dry . If possible , water from below at the root zone rather than from above , to keep water supply off the leaves .
Fertlizer:
They ’re not heavy feeders . Apply a dense - spillage fertilizer at planting time , following package focal point . If foliage record yellowing , it ’s credibly a micronutrient deficiency . A fertilizer with micronutrient can be apply , or sprinkle Epsom Strategic Arms Limitation Talks around the base of each plant life on a monthly fundament .
Overwintering and cutting back:
In colder geographical zone , the tuberous rootstalk can be hollow up and stored over winter . In warmer area , they can be leave in the soil or in their pots .
ELEPHANT EAR VARIETIES TO GROW
Their speedy ontogenesis create a show even during a short growing season , make them suitable as one - shot annuals of benefit to northern gardeners . But among the 70 or so species and their cultivars , there are small , medium , and enceinte sizing ; foliage shapes from wide core to slim arrowheads ; colour accentuated with bright veining and spots ; and textures from slick and glossy to thick and waxy . While their use in gardens has give them their current cachet , many also make good houseplants .
Photo by : Proven Winners .
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This caladium with pinkish , blank , and fleeceable foliage can be grown in gay to shady location , as well as indoors as a houseplant . produce 15 to 20 inches magniloquent and 8 to 10 in wide-eyed . Hardy in zone 10 to 11 , otherwise grown as an annual .
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An elegant pick that grows 15 to 20 inches tall and 8 to 10 inches wide . This strap - leaf miscellany can withstand full sun or nuance . Hardy in zone 10 to 11 , otherwise grown as an annual .
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A fancy red form with contrasting shades of green and orange . Grow outside in spectre to Lord’s Day , or indoors on a sunny windowsill . Hardy in Zones 10 to 11 , otherwise grown as an annual .
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This fondness - leaved miscellany prefers shade to part shade and develop 15 to 20 inches tall and 10 to 14 inch wide . It has a lemony - greenish leaves with hot pink center and veins . Hardy in Zones 10 to 11 , otherwise grown as an annual .
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This fancy - foliage mixed bag grows to 20 inch grandiloquent and 14 inches broad and likes conditions on the fly-by-night side . It can also be produce as a houseplant . Hardy in Zones 10 to 11 , otherwise grown as an yearbook .
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This mixed bag grows three to five foot tall in the garden . Its leaf have dramatic unripened veining against a black background . Illustris love lactating conditions and is also adaptable as a houseplant . Hardy in Zones 10 to 11 , otherwise turn as an annual .
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This award - bring home the bacon , easy - guardianship variety grow three to five feet tall in the garden . Its disconsolate green foliage and altitude make it a perfect thriller centerpiece when used in containers . Hardy in zone 8 to 11 .
Photo by : Chelsea Stickel .
ALOCASIA’CALIDORA '
Big , spectacular hybrid ofA. gagaena and A. odora , get hold of five to seven pes grandiloquent with rounded , sky - pointing , dark green leave well-nigh four feet long and three ft wide . Forms a “ trunk ” and thickset sturdy stalks . Easy and immobile in a part sunny location . Hardy in Zones 9 to 11 .
photograph by : Pam Mclean .
A. MACRORRHIZA’BLACKSTEM '
A large elephant spike , three to five feet tall , with upward - point , two - foot wide , dark green leave-taking , slightly ruffle along the edge . foliage stalks and nervure on the leaf undersides are a striking pitch black purpleness . Prefers part sunlight to shade . Hardy in Zones 9 to 11 .
exposure by : Rob Cardillo .
A. LAUTERBACHIANA
A native of New Guinea antecedently let in in the genusXenophya . Long , narrow , swordlike folio , green with a bluish cast on top , mauve - purpleness beneath , and scallop on the edge , are unusual for an alocasia and make a dramatic vertical statement . Can reach five feet in height . Hardy in Zones 9 to 11 , peradventure Zone 8 with extra winter protective cover .
A. MICHOLITZIANA‘FRYDEK ’
Velvety emerald - green leaves with prominent white-hot veins are eight to 12 inch foresighted and arrowhead shaped . acquire two to three feet tall in the tone garden or a container . Attractive purpleness - band folio stalks sum up spare sake . Hardy in zone 9 to 11 ; also makes an easy houseplant .
A.‘HILO BEAUTY ’
Striking elephant ear with a mosaic convention of green , cream and sensationalistic on its foliage . Plant usually stays under three feet marvellous , with leave of absence one foot long and six inches wide . A racy grower for a garden with shade or filtered light . Can also be rise in a terrarium while a young plant then motivate outdoors or into a container . Root - hardy as far northward as Zone 8 ; goes hibernating at 45 degrees .
A.‘PURPLE PRINCE ’
A hybrid elephant ear with waxy , arrowhead - shaped , purplish green leaves with iridescent veining and eggplant - colored undersides , one to two feet long . Can get to three to four foot . Prefers shade or bright diffused light . Hardy in Zones 9 to 11 .
A. RUGOSA
Even when you touch this elephant ear , it ’s hard to conceive it ’s real . thickheaded , quilt leaves with nubby texture feel like charge card . A smaller elephant ear , typically eight to 12 inches grandiloquent . Hardy to Zone 9 alfresco but makes an easy houseplant ( or terrarium specimen ) since it is slow maturate and can take the low light and ironic air distinctive of indoor office .
DESIGNING WITH ELEPHANT EAR PLANTS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Are elephant ear plants poisonous?
Elephant ear works are toxicant if ingested in prominent quantities . The industrial plant ’s leaf and stanch take oxalic acid , which can cause serious illness in children or pets . However , cooking renders the toxins harmless and many acculturation have safely eaten them for year ( specifically taro root , orColocasia esculenta ) . See moreCommon Poisonous Plants for Dogs and Cats .
Do elephant ear plants bloom?
Yes , they can blossom ; however , it is not common or predictable . Some nurseryman paper blooms ( called spathe ) in springtime after bringing their plants outdoors and fertilizing , while other gardeners never see them flower . These plants are grown principally for their tropical leaf .
Are elephant ear plants perennials?
Most are perennials in Zone 9 and tender , where they will come back each summer . If gardening in cooler zones , you may treat them as annuals or dig up the tubers before the first frost and keep them in a cool , dry place over winter .
When do elephant ear plants sprout?
Elephant pinna ordinarily sprout three to eight weeks from planting . Sprouting happens when the weather begins to warm in outpouring . They will germinate faster in warmer climates than in coolheaded climates . To speed up the process , you may start them deep down and move them outdoors once it warm up .
Why are my elephant ear plants turning yellow?
If the leaf are twist yellowish , it could mean there is a problem . examine changing the amount of sun or irrigate the industrial plant get under one’s skin and perhaps go for a fertilizer . or else , the plant may be going inactive for the season . Cut back the yellow leaves and wait for it to deliver next spring .
Do elephant ears spread?
Some elephant auricle plants circularise along the ground , while others produce in clumps . Runners will quickly form a large mass of plantings , which can be dear or spoilt . If you ’re apprehensive about them spreading out of control , choose a clop variety .
Can elephant ears grow in full sun?
Full sunlight is not ideal for most — they uprise best in bright but collateral sunlight . Too much sun can burn the foliage , while too little sun can make yellowing . There are certain varieties that can tolerate full sun .
Can you plant elephant ear plants in a pot?
Yes , elephant auricle can be planted in pot . Since they grow quite gravid , you ’ll require to select a container that is spacious and stable . Container - grown plants can easily be propel inside when moth-eaten weather get in and enjoyed as houseplants .
Why are my elephant ear plants drooping?
Elephant ears may droop because there is a problem . essay correct the amount of light or pee or use a fertilizer . Another reason for drooping is that the big leave become too threatening . Staking can help support the plant and prevent drooping . Plants will also droop if temperatures are too cold for them .
Last update : September 17 , 2021
