What temperature is too cold for elephant ears?
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.
Around 40-45 degree fahrenheit is the ideal temperature. The location should also be completely dry. Typically this is around December for most growing zones. Typically a garage that doesn't freeze works great, or a cool basem*nt location.
Elephant ears will only truly thrive in warmer areas similar to their native humid climates of Southeast Asia, and with daytime temperatures of 70 to 85F, and nights no lower than 60F. They can be grown in cooler areas, but will need to be replanted each year.
Elephant ears are winter hardy in zones 9-11 and the tubers will not survive freezing temperatures. In colder areas, you can either treat elephant ears as annuals and discard them at the end of the growing season, or you can store the tubers indoors and replant them next year.
Elephant ears drink up humidity. Though the foliage dies back after a freeze, the tender perennials will come back every summer in the Lower, Coastal, and Tropical South.
Because of its tropical origins, the elephant ear tubers will need to be taken inside every winter or brought inside where temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees if you live outside of USDA zones 8-11. In one of those zones, you can safely leave your colocasia plants outside all year.
Put the tubers in a grocery bag, plastic pot or bulb rate and cover with a mix of peat moss and soil. Add water to the container and store it in a cool, dark place to ensure the tuber stays dormant throughout the winter. Keep your Elephant Ears moist but not wet.
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.
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.
Overwinter indoors: If you grow your elephant ear plants in pots, you can bring them inside for the chilly winter months. Elephant ears can make for good houseplants, provided with the space, light, and time to give them proper care.
Should I cut off dead elephant ear leaves?
Cutting off dead leaves won't hurt your indoor plants! It will encourage and stimulate new growth, like this elephant ear portodora.
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.
Pruning Elephant Ear Plants
As the leaves start to age, they'll start looking droopy and not as vibrantly colored as younger leaves. If the appearance detracts from the overall look of the plant, it's fine to trim these off near the base of the stem, using a pair of sharp pruners or shears.
During the winter, plants grown outdoors will not need to be watered much if at all. Elephant Ears grown indoors will still need to be watered during the winter, but dormant plants generally do not need to be watered very often.
Cover Plants – Protect plants from all but the hardest freeze (28°F for five hours) by covering them with sheets, towels, blankets, cardboard or a tarp.
What Month Do Elephant Ears Bloom? Elephant ears should be planted in the spring, after the first frost and will begin to flower from late spring to early fall. It will also depend on the zone you live in, zones 9-11 see elephant ears bloom earlier than cooler zones.
Elephant ears grow best where daytime temperatures range from 60° to 85°F. In temperate climates like mine here in Pennsylvania, elephant ears are grown as a summer ornamental (often the smaller varieties are also grown indoors as houseplants).
Beginning at 59°F, your blood vessels begin to constrict in an effort to consolidate warmth and your ears become more susceptible to the cold. As the temperatures dip further below that benchmark, it is even more important to protect your ears and keep them warm.
Tropical plants love humidity, so encourage humidity indoors with a saucer of pebbles and water. Dormancy: Elephant ears may go dormant indoors during Iowa winters. Don't be too alarmed if the leaves turn brown and fall away.
