Several of these (in addition to 'Black Magic') have leaves with quite a bit of black color in them; others have yellow or chartreuse: The corm, or root, of elephant ear is commonly known as "taro" or "coco yam," a common food source in Hawaii and other tropical regions. Elephant ears are grown for their large, heart-shaped leaves. A number of cultivars also exist, including types with dark leaves (for example, C. esculenta 'Black Magic'), placing them among the so-called "black plants." Elephant ears belong to two species of plants: Colocasia and Alocasia. Keep reading to learn more about how to take care of an elephant ear plant. Keep reading to learn more about how to take care of an elephant ear plant. According to the University of Florida, it grows in USDA hardiness zones 8b through 11 1. Well, you are at the right place to know the answer. To grow these stunning plants, plant the bulbs in the early spring with the right soil conditions. In fact, these plants are commonly grown for their large, tropical-looking foliage, which is reminiscent of elephant ears. The care and effort it takes to overwinter elephant ears (Colocasia spp. Most of these plants prefer rich, moist soil and can be grown in full sun, but they generally prefer partial shade. They are herbaceous perennial plants with a large corm on or just below the ground surface. These plants come in a variety of colors and sizes. Some of them are small, and some grow to be gigantic elephant ear plants if they’re given optimal growing conditions. During dry spells, you may want to water plants regularly, especially those growing in containers. 2.4 out of 5 stars 318. They are borne atop sturdy, succulent leaf stalks. Huge, heart-shaped leaves come in black, purple, emerald green, chartreuse, yellow, or a mix of colors. In climates with frost, an elephant ear plant dies back each year. Do not sell this plant short simply because it lacks showy flowers; after all, pretty leaves last longer than flowers. Depending on when and where they are planted, it may take more than a month before you see any sign of growth. David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience writing about landscaping and over 10 years experience working in nurseries. However, cooking renders the toxins harmless and many cultures have safely eaten them for years (specifically taro root, or Colocasia esculenta ). If growing in pots use a rich, organic potting soil and plant them at the same depth. It likes to be in a climate similar to its native Southeast Asia: a temperature between 65 and 75 F and above-average humidity is ideal. Elephant ears are tropical foliage plants with large dark green leaves. Elephant ear plant loves to remain hydrated all the time, but overwatering can be harmful. In fact, these plants are commonly grown for their large, tropical-looking foliage, which is reminiscent of elephant ears. Elephant ears are heavy feeders. Plant the tubers about 2 to 3 inches deep, blunt end down. Elephant's Ear is a perennial tropical summer ornamental plant that does well in outdoor landscapes or indoor container gardens.  'Yellow Splash' has variegated leaves of yellow and green (similar to theÂ. apart (45-60 cm), tall Elephant Ear … Learn tips for creating your most beautiful (and bountiful) garden ever. But they can be brought indoors for winter to extend their lives. Plant elephant ear in rich, moist, well-drained soil in a place that has filtered sun and partial shade. Elephant ears cannot survive winter outdoors. Elephant Ear Size. Small and medium sized Elephant Ears should be spaced 18-24 in. Prefers moist, loose soils and is an ideal choice for containers. You can save money simply by storing elephant ear bulbs or plants for the winter. Place them in a cool, dark area such as a basement or crawlspace. Since you’re growing them indoors, it’s better to wait and let the soil dry out a bit before watering again. Fertilize them with a fertilizer high in nitrogen. These tropical foliage plants are tender but can be overwintered in cold climates. Sign up for our newsletter. ; Select a location in full sun or part sun with a good, rich, moist, organic soil. They thrive well in temperature between 15-25 C (60-80 F). Water Requirements. A big, bold, textural and architectural foliage plant, Colocasia gigantea 'Thailand Giant' (Giant Elephant Ear) is a tuberous, frost-tender perennial boasting huge, heart-shaped, blue-green leaves, up to 4-6 ft. long (120-180 cm) and 3-5 ft. wide (90-150 cm). Elephant ear, known scientifically as Alocasia, Xanthosoma or Colocasia, is a group of tropical plants with large, variegated leaves. Please look around and make yourself at home. 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Like other members of the family, the plant contains an irritant which causes intense discomfort t… The green plant has heart-shaped leaves with white veins. Sign up to get all the latest gardening tips! There is a slight difference in water requirements within elephant ear types. Plant taxonomy classifies the most widely known elephant ear plants, or "taro," as Colocasia esculenta.But plants of the Alocasia genus and of the Xanthosoma genus can go by the same common name as well. Someone might wonder What is Elephant Ear or how it is useful? Although not absolutely necessary, you may also want to apply a slow-release fertilizer to the soil periodically. The soil for elephant ear should be moist, rich in organic matter, with 5.5-7.0 pH. When kept indoors with proper care you can expect your plant to reach a maximum of 6 foot or more in length.Mature Elephant Ear plants can grow up to 8 foot tall, similarly this is around the same size of actual African Elephant Ears of 6 feet.. Light Requirements The plant's leaves and stems contain oxalic acid, which can cause serious illness in children or pets. Jul 19, 2014 - Explore * Black/ Panameña Sista *'s board "Elephant Ear Plant", followed by 1250 people on Pinterest. Many are even well adapted to growing in containers. Elephant ear is just one example of a plant valued for the display put on by its leaves. They are herbaceous perennials in warm climates. There are dozens of different types of elephant ear plant, but here are 26 of the most popular varieties. 'Imperial Taro' Elephant Ear produces unusual, black-purple leaves patterned with bright-green veins. Cut the foliage back to about a couple of inches after the first frost in your area and then carefully dig up the plants. Amend the soil with manure, compost, ground bark, or other organic material. Elephant ears are an exciting, affordable way to create privacy in the garden and on the patio. In fact, elephant ears are an important food source in warm climates around the world. “Elephant ears” is the common name for a group of tropical perennial plants grown for their large, heart-shaped leaves. There are a number of uses for elephant ears in the garden. There are many Elephant Ear benefits and uses. Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series. The plants can grow eight feet tall in the tropics but only about two to three feet elsewhere, depending on growing conditions. Several genera in the family Araceae (Arums) . Once established, elephant ears require little attention. Just dig up the corms and keep them in a cool–but not freezing–basement or garage as you would store canna bulbs, dahlia tubers, etc. Planting elephant ear bulbs indoors approximately eight weeks prior to the last frost date is also acceptable. In USDA plant hardiness zone eight and above, elephant ears can be left outside year-round. Florida Hill Nursery is your online tropical internet source for Elephant ear plants. Elephant ear plants are a fun and dramatic feature to add to your garden, but just because these beautiful plants are not cold hardy does not mean you can’t keep elephant ear bulbs from year to year. If you’re after a good indoors house plant, check out the Alocasia species. Get it as soon as Mon, Nov 16. How an Elephant Ear Plant will Respond: Zones 1-7: Winters may be too cold for an outdoor elephant ear plant. Plants also produce offsets that can be broken off and planted elsewhere. The tubers can be placed directly outdoors once the threat of frost or freezing temperatures have ceased in your area. The plant reproduces mostly by means of rhizomes (tubers, corms), but it also produces "clusters of two to five fragrant inflorescences in the leaf axils". Be aware that all parts of elephant ear plants can upset the stomach if ingested without being properly cooked first. deep (12 cm). In cold climates, treat elephant ears as annuals. Different shades of green and yellow appear through the leaves when sun light hits the leaves which is an attractive sight. 'Illustris' has black leaves with green edging and veining. But plants of the Alocasia genus and of the Xanthosoma genus can go by the same common name as well. They are not native to Florida but have become naturalized in some wetland areas in the southern half of the state and are widespread. According to Wilfred Lee ("Ethnobotanical Leaflets," Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 1999), "Taro constituted the staff of life for the Hawaiians when Captain Cook arrived in the islands in 1778. Growing elephant ear plants is easy. The leaves are large to very large, 20–150 cm (7.9–59.1 in) long, with a sagittateshape. It is best to keep your elephant ear plant in an easy to relocate planter or pot. Part of Elephant Ear Used. Replant them in spring when the danger of frost has passed. In cold climates, the plants are treated as annuals, providing an infusion of tropical landscaping, albeit short-lived. Fertilize your elephant ear plant with a liquid fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Find more gardening information on Gardening Know How: Keep up to date with all that's happening in and around the garden. We have assembled a wide variety of Elephant ear plants, Xanthosomas, Caladiums, Alocasias, and Colocasias from around the world for you to choose from. The Elephant Ear (Colocasia) is a tropical plant that grows up to 9 feet (2.7 m) tall and sprouts large, arrow-shaped leaves that resemble the ears on an elephant. With their huge shield-shaped leaves, they create a nice contrast with another favorite used around water gardens, the horsetail, which pushes up multiple green spear-like shoots from its base. $8.99 $ 8. Elephant ears' species name, esculentia, is the same term that gives us the word "esculent," meaning edible. Freezing temperatures kill foliage and damage tubers. Elephant ear corms grow over time, with the original corm doubling or tripling in size. This makes them a good choice for wet areas where gardeners usually have trouble finding suitable plants. Therefore, in areas with harsh, cold winters (like those in northernmost regions), the plants must be dug up and stored indoors. Taxonomy and Botany . 99. Their thirst for water makes elephant ears effective, not only in soggy areas of the landscape but also near water features. The elephant's-ear plant gets its name from the leaves, which are shaped like a large ear or shield. A number of cultivars of elephant ears have made a name for themselves by virtue of the striking colors of their foliage. This genus consists of around 900 species, and is considered as the second largest genus of the family Araceae.The word Philodendron means tree-loving, and most of the species are found attached to trees either in epiphytic forms, or rooted in soil and attached to trees for support. Elephant Ears needs room to grow. See more ideas about elephant ear plant, elephant ears, plants. The elephant ear plant (Colocasia) provides a bold tropical effect in nearly any landscape setting. Elephant's ears offer some of the boldest foliage you could ever want in a garden. Elephant ear plants can be used as background plants, ground covers, or edging, especially around ponds or along walkways or patio enclosures. Their most common use, however, is as an accent or focal point. Elephant ear plants grow from a swollen stem similar to a bulb but known as a corm. Container plants can either be moved indoors or overwintered in a basement or protected porch. Plant bulbs with the crown just above the soil line Rich, organic soil will help your elephant ears grow. At that time an estimated three hundred thousand people in the islands lived chiefly on poi (a fermented or unfermented taro paste), sweet potato, fish, seaweed, and a few green vegetables and fruits.". Elephant Ear Plant Types. Elephant ear tubers can be very slow to sprout. Alocasia, genus of broad-leaved perennials in tropical & subtropical Asia to Eastern Australia; Caladium, ornamental plants with arrowhead-shaped leaves originally from South America; Colocasia (taro), a genus of flowering plants native to tropical Polynesia and southeastern Asia Mammoth elephant ear plants grow best in USDA plant hardiness zones 9 through 11, where the average annual minimum temperature is at least 20 degrees F. Outside of these zones, the mammoth elephant ear plant can be grown as an annual. Elephant ear may refer to: . The elephant's ear is a hybrid that has become a fairly popular ornamental house plant, and is one of the easiest to find and buy from the Alocasia genus. The mammoth leaves can be more than 3 feet long on plants that can grow higher than 6 feet tall. Plant taxonomy classifies the most widely known elephant ear plants, or "taro," as Colocasia esculenta. The elephant ear plant (Colocasia) provides a bold tropical effect in nearly any landscape setting. The spot should offer shelter from the wind, which could rip the plant's enormous leaves in a strong gust. Where elephant ears remain in the ground over winter, they will be quite late to re-emerge in late spring or early summer, unless covered with 3-6" of mulch in early fall. Before planting, improve the soil with compost or topsoil to add nutrients and improve the soil's water-holding capacity. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Elephant ear (taro plant) tubers eventually work their way upward through the soil, so every few years, re-bury your elephant ears at least 6" deep to ensure winter hardiness. Most of these herbaceous species in the arum or aroid family (Araceae) that are offered as ornamentals belong to the genera Colocasia, Alocasia, and Xanthosoma, although there are others that have similar appearance and growth habits. Plant your Elephant Ear tubers 5 in. Plants can grow two to six feet tall and four feet … Also, the sap can be a skin irritant. Harden off elephant ear plants for about a week prior to placing them outdoors. While these leaves can reach three feet long and two feet wide in the tropics, in colder climates they will remain smaller (but still impressive). Planting distance varies with the size of your Elephant Ear plants. Elephant Ears are large attractive plants that command attention in your outdoor garden or can be used in your indoor space for cleaning your air. Being a tropical plant, Amazon elephant's ear will go dormant or die if exposed to cold. Zones 8-9: The elephant ear will likely die back each winter, but the tuber … Philodendron: Elephant ear plants which belong to the genus Philodendron are very popular as houseplants. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Amazon Elephant's Ear Plant Profile (African Mask), How to Take Care of Outdoor Plants in Winter, Tropicanna Canna Offers Fast Growth Rate, Colorful Leaves, 9 Great Foliage Plants for Container Gardens, 3 Ways to Keep Tropical Plants All Winter, Five Houseplants That Will Hurt Your Pets. Plant elephant ears in rich, well drained soil. Temperature. Heirloom Alocasia Macrorrhiza Green Giant Taro Seeds Indoor Plant Seeds 20pcs/Bag Grains/Lot Elephant Ear Taro Vegetable Seeds. In fact, they are considered invasive there. Take advantage of their large attractive foliage and grow them among your other plants to provide texture in a planting bed. 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