Elephant Ear Plants Archives - Page 12 of 38 - Gardening Know How Questions & Answers (2024)

FAQs

How do you take care of an outdoor elephant ear plant? ›

Elephant's ear grows best in part shade or filtered sun. Prolonged direct sunlight can scorch its leaves, marring them for the duration of the season. Plant elephant's ear in a location where it receives morning sunlight and afternoon shade.

Most elephant's ears are perennials and will come back every summer in the Lower, Coastal, and Tropical South. Some are perennials in the lower part of the Middle South. They like the soil to be relatively dry in winter.

Hardiness Zones 7-11

In these Hardiness Zones, your Elephant Ears can stay in the ground but should be covered to protect them throughout the winter months. Let the stems of your plants die back naturally with the frost. Cutting them can lead to rot. Cover your plants with chopped-up leaves and lawn grass.

The most common disease of the Elephant Ear plant is fungal leaf blight. Spray copper fungicide when they are at least 4 weeks old. Spray copper fungicide every week during rainy weather and bi-weekly during drier seasons. Phyllosticta leaf spot is another common disease of the Elephant Ear plant.

In USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 11, elephant ears can be left outside year-round and are treated as perennials. In colder climates, they are typically treated as annuals and discarded at the end of the growing season.

Damaged growth on herbaceous or nonwoody plants such as cannas, elephant ears, birds-of-paradise, begonias, impatiens, philodendron and gingers can be pruned back to living tissue. This pruning is optional unless the damaged tissue is oozy, mushy, slimy and foul-smelling, in which case it should be removed.

Elephant ears reproduce by division of corms, which come from their tubers. Not all cultivars available today produce tubers, but you can easily propagate those that do by cutting the tuber into pieces, each with a corm on it, similar to the eyes of a potato.

Bulbs can grow to be large, so if you can leave them in the ground, do. Light: Most plants grow best in full sun to partial shade. 'Black Magic' is an exception that performs well in partial to full shade. Soil: Grow elephant ears in moist, loamy soil with a high organic matter content.

When do elephant ear plants sprout? Elephant ears usually sprout three to eight weeks from planting. Sprouting occurs when the weather begins to warm in spring. They will sprout faster in warmer climates than in cooler climates.

Elephant ears are great for adding a tropical feel to your garden. They may be planted in large containers. Elephant ear foliage adds drama to large flower arrangements. Plants cannot tolerate temperatures below 50 degrees.

Can you overwater elephant ears? ›

Too much of a good thing can be a problem, and it is possible to overwater Elephant Ears. Well-draining soil will help shed water and prevent overwatering. Let the soil dry out before watering if you suspect the plant has been overwatered.

I recommend growing elephant ears in large pots, where they can reach their full growth potential. Smaller pots equal smaller growth, which is fine if you're growing a more compact variety or you only have a small patio or balcony. But if you want a lot of va-va-voom, opt for a big pot and a big variety.

Epsom salt helps ferns and plants similar to ferns, such as elephant ear, have rich, dark foliage. Add 1 tablespoon of Epsom salt to a gallon of water and spray ferns and elephant ears to achieve the look.

The most likely candidates are caterpillars, weevils and beetles. Try some Bayer's Advanced Tree and Shrub Care for control. A.

Special Note: Begonia tubers gradually get better each year for about 8 years, and then die. Replace with newly purchased tubers. Lift: Before hard frost as the leaves decline (typically October). Special Note: Storage works well for 2-3 years, after that corms will begin to decline and you will need to buy new corms.

Cut back an elephant ear plant two or three days after the first killing frost when the foliage turns brown. Sterilize sharp pruning shears and don gloves. Snip off the leaves near the base of the plant, leaving about 2 inches above the ground.

Bringing Elephant Ear Bulbs Indoors For the Winter

Dig up the tubers (bulbs) and place in a container. Cover the bulbs with soil and apply some moisture to the bulbs. You don't want to soak the bulbs or keep them wet.

Gardening Q&A: Elephant ears don't always need to be dug up for winter.

Dividing Elephant Ear Bulbs

This helps the bulbs dry out and prevents mold from growing on the plants. Optional - you can cut the roots off ahead of time, or you can let them dry out and fall off. If you do cut the roots, make sure to not cut into the bulb (or corm). Next cut off the green growth above the bulb.

Best Fertilizer For Elephant Ears

Well-draining soil rich in organic matter, like compost or manure, are good options for Elephant Ears. A water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer is a good option that provides a good balance of nutrition. You can also use all-purpose Miracle Grow to feed Elephant Ears plants.

Why are my elephant ears turning yellow and dying? ›

Too much or too little water can cause leaves to turn yellow or brown. One other factor to consider when your elephant ear plant becomes discolored is watering frequency. Both over-watering and under-watering can cause the leaves of any plant to form yellow spots, before the color takes over the whole leaf.

Dividing elephant ears is easy! Once you have selected your pups, it is time to remove them. Use a sharp knife or your shovel and bisect the section away from the parent. Tubers cut cleanly with a texture like a potato.

Don't plant more than 1 bulb per pot. Elephant ears need about 6 ft (1.8 m) between them to accommodate for their large spread.

Sun or Shade: Elephant ears will grow in sun or shade. If you put them in a hot, sunny location, make sure they get a little shade during the middle of the day. Zone: Elephant ears are tropical plants. In zones 9-11 they can be grown outdoors year-round.

Water when the soil starts to feel a little dry. If your Elephant Ear plant gets too much water, it will let you know by “weeping” or dripping water from the tip of the leaf.

This plant may be nice to look at, but it can be toxic to your dog. In fact, it can even be fatal if not treated right away. If your dog eats any part of the elephant ear plant, the first symptom you might see is also the deadliest; a swollen airway leading to inability to breathe.

Most bulbs will bloom 2-5 weeks after they come out of the cold, heralding spring with their bright colors and sweet fragrances. Duration of bloom varies with the type of bulb and the variety but is generally shorter than you'd expect of bulbs in the garden.

If growing multiple elephant ears, space each bulb 2 to 4 feet apart. Varieties with extremely large leaves require large containers to grow properly. You don't want them to become top-heavy.

You will know it's the perfect time to dig up elephant ears (aka colocasia) when the weather starts to turn and the leaves on your trees turn brown. If you don't have time to dig up your plants, don't worry. It is okay to wait until the first frost but do not go longer than that, as the tuber will die.

A: Cut the soggy elephant ears back. They'll likely return in spring, perhaps more slowly if the weather remains cool. I never cover these plants – they're tough.

Do you water elephant ears from the top or bottom? ›

Crown, leaf spot, and stem or root rot: These diseases are caused by overwatering and usually appear as dark brown or black spots on the leaves surrounded by a yellowish rim. To prevent this, avoid over-watering, keep the leaves dry, and provide it with good air circulation.

Since elephant ear plants grow quickly they tend to outgrow their containers within no time. Without proper root growth the leaves don't get adequate nutrient, water and oxygen circulation, so they become yellow and start drooping.

Potted Plants

Potted elephant ears plants survive winter well when left in the dirt inside their containers. Move the pots to a frost-free spot where they aren't exposed to rain so the soil in the pot remains dry during dormancy.

Choose a container that's at least 18 inches wide and 16 inches deep for Colocasia varieties, or 36 inches wide for the larger Alocasia varieties. Using large pots will allow these plants to develop to their greatest potential and it also means you won't need to repot them for several years.

If using potting soil, choose one that's rich in organic material and mixed with peat and perlite to create an artificial wetland or bog that will hold moisture. If you're mixing your own soil, use well drained, crumbly loam with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. Avoid rocky soils, which can deform the corms.

Adding Epsom salt is a simple way to increase the health of their blooms, and is something that you can include easily as a part of a normal routine. For potted plants, simply dissolve two tablespoons of Epsom salt per gallon of water, and substitute this solution for normal watering once a month.

Elephant ears thrive in soil rich in organic matter, but too much coffee can add too much caffeine to the ground and suppress the growth of elephant ear plants. It can also kill beneficial microbes in the soil that help the plant stay healthy and thriving.

Carnivorous plants — Pitcher plants, venus flytraps, and sundews are some insect-eating plants that should not be applied with Epsom salts. Because they are adapted to grow in mineral-poor and depleted soil, supplementing fertilizers with even a tiny dosage could mean death to the bug-trapping ornamentals.

Mosquitoes will not breed in maintained pools. Empty saucers of potted plants and flush plants, like elephant ears, that collect water. A routine spray service will also eliminate mosquito larvae and eggs.

What eats elephant ear leaves? ›

Insects are the main culprits behind what is eating your elephant ears. This includes mites, caterpillars, beetles, aphids, weevils, and many others. Alternatively, you could also be dealing with fungus or plant illnesses.

Spray Soap Water:

If the damp cloth method is not effective enough, then you can use soapy water. This is prepared by mixing one tablespoon of soap with 2 cups of warm water. Pour them in a spray bottle and spray them on the plants. The soapy solution penetrates through the waxy layer and kills these bugs.

Most elephant's ears are perennials and will come back every summer in the Lower, Coastal, and Tropical South. Some are perennials in the lower part of the Middle South. They like the soil to be relatively dry in winter.

Elephant Ears are poisonous to children. Touching the stems or leaves can cause skin irritation and possibly a rash and itching. Eating the leaves, stems, or sap can cause a burning sensation in the mouth and throat and lead to swelling.

Water recently planted Elephant Ears daily for the first two weeks, monitor the soil daily for the first year, and water when the soil starts to dry out. Established Elephant Ears only need to be watered when the soil's surface is dry to the touch.

After the danger of frost has passed, simply move the pots outside or replant your elephant ears in your garden.

Dividing elephant ear plants is an easy way to propagate your plant, and multiply your elephant ear plants. Elephant ear plants spread out and grow by putting out runners from the parent plant. These runners will then come to the surface and start growing as pup/offshoots of the parent plant.

Pruning Elephant Ears

Regular pruning will help to keep this large leaf plant in shape. The leaves will naturally droop as they age. Drooping leaves can be cut off with a sharp blade. Yellowing or brown leaves can be cut off at the stem.

You may decide to dig up and replant your elephant ears year after year (remember: they only get better with time). Or you may choose to buy new tubers and bulbs for the coming season.

Can elephant ears grow in full sun? Full sun is not ideal for most—they grow best in bright but indirect sunlight. Too much sunlight can burn the leaves, while too little sunlight can cause yellowing. There are certain varieties that can tolerate full sun.