How to Grow Elephant Ears

Elephant ears (I know too) Colocasias, Alocasiaor Xanthosoma) It is a warm climate plant with large, oversized heart-shaped leaves similar to elephant ears. The various plants are endemic to different regions of the world (South America, Central America, Asia, Africa, Australia), but are known to be prone to growing plants that thrive in warm climates. However, they can be used as annual plants. These are dug indoors in the winter until warmer again in cool areas.

Elephant ears are also known for their rapidly growing leaves and their ability to reach mature sizes in just one growing season, making them a good choice as a focus for lush greenery and flower beds in the summer. Elephant ears grow, not traditional bulbs Comb (Also known as “tubers”). This is a swollen rhizome that resembles a light bulb and grows over time when planted multiple times.

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Can elephant ear plants stay outside in winter?

As for the diversity of plants you buy, you will want to check out the cold hardiness zone as they vary from plant to plant. Some winters outside cold regions like zone 6 can only withstand the winters in zone 9.

How often should you water elephant ears?

Elephant ears are high water plants, and the more they water, the more they grow! The majority prefer wet (not flooded) soil, but some varieties can even be submerged in water and placed in pots grown as wetlands and pond plants. During the summer, potted plants should be watered daily (or several times a day) to avoid drying out the soil.

How much sunlight does an elephant’s ear need?

Most varieties want partial shades from the full sun, but there is something like black magic that prefers even lighter situations. If the weather is very hot, an area that provides shade in the afternoon is desirable. Dark-foliated plants require more light to preserve their color, but the clearer the place is, the more water the plants need to be watered to keep up with their moisture requirements.

If you are storing plants indoors as houseplants, you will want to find sunny windows that receive bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight on houseplants as they can cause burns to the leaves.

Should elephant ears be enriched?

Like many other large tropical plants, elephant ears do well with heavy feeding, so you can give them good things General-purpose fertilizer At least once a month.

Elephant ear temperature and humidity

As they are primarily tropical plants, elephant ears prefer daytime temperatures to 70°F and do not want to be below 60°F at night. Most plants cannot handle winters below USDA zone 8 or 9, Colocacia Esquerenta Pink China can withstand cool climates like Zone 6.

These plants thrive in high humidity and therefore struggle outdoors in hot climates. You can use humidifiers near elephant ear houseplants, or use fog frequently on plants.

Planting elephant ears

It can grow between 2-6 feet wide, so check out the diverse ears of elephant ears that are spaced before planting. You’ll want to wait for night temperatures to plant between 50 and 60°F. plant Comb 4-6 inches deep (deep corm planted on the deep side).

If growing in containers, plant elephant ears in well-drained soil in a large container with drainage holes. Use a combination of Potting mix (addition Vermiculite or Perlite If not already in the mix, to help the soil get properly drained) and large amounts of organic matter for nutrients (plant roots, leaves, roots, animal fertilizers, etc.).

Repeat the elephant ears

By splitting the plant, separating the new corm from the main light bulb, and peeling off the divided plants and new corms into fresh soil, you can insert potted elephant ears with larger containers.

Round elephant ears

During the summer growing season, you can block out the brown leaves of indoor or outdoor plants at the roots of the plant, giving way to new growth.

If you leave elephant ears outside all year round, we recommend cutting them back to prepare for winter. After the first frost, cut down the plant to about 2-3 inches from the ground and the plant will regenerate in the next warm season.

Tip: That’s a good idea Wear long sleeves and gloves when pruning elephant ears Because it contains compounds that can irritate the skin by direct contact.

Overwinter

Before the first frost, in zones 3-7, the plants need to be digged and brought inside. The stems can be pruned and dig corms to store them in a cool, dry place during the winter (such as a basement or garage). To prevent root rot, the newly dug spheres are air-dried for a week, wrapped in paper and stored in cardboard boxes.

To create houseplants during the winter, you can leave some leaves intact and plant elephant ears in the container until the weather warms up again. If you choose the home plant route, you will want to “strengthen” your plants in the spring by moving to a porch covered for several days to adjust to the outdoors before planting them in the ground.

Propagate and split the elephant’s ears

Dig the sphere at the end of the season and you will notice that there are small corms that are beginning to derive from the main light bulb. Wear gloves to protect against sap, simply break the small corm (or cut with a sterile knife), dry and heal the cut area, wrap it in paper and store it in the main sphere for the winter. Plant small corms in the spring to produce more plants.

Elephant ear types

There are many choices of elephant ear varieties, but the most popular ones come from Alocasia, Colocasiaand Xanthosoma Genus:

Alocasia

• Polly: This small cultivar shows frilled leaves in white veins.
• Zebrina: An outstanding species with zebra striped stems.

Colocasia

• Coffee cup:This hybrid plant boasts a unique leaf shape as its leaves fold upwards to form a cup shape.
• Black Magic: This variety has purple leaves, and is one of the most popular black leaf cultivars.
• Thai giantsOne of the largest varieties, these leaves can grow to 4′ wide and 5′ long.
• Illustris: The very dark green matte leaves are a hallmark of this plant. Bright green veins emphasize the leaves, and plants are spread out by underground runners, not corms.

Xanthosoma

• Lime ginger: Lime green leaves from these large Chartreuses have arrow-shaped leaves. Grows to 2-4′ high and 3′ wide.
• X. Lindeni: This variety presents beautiful silver and white leaves.

Diagnosing common problems

• pest: Aphids, meelivers and spider mites are the main pests of elephant ears. If an infection occurs, apply a Gardening soap On the leaves to treat the leaves.
• Fungal Leaf Decay: A more common problem with elephant ears is when you see lesions that ooze purple or yellow liquids, you will want to remove any affected stems and leaves before they spread to the rest of the plant.
• Yellow leaves: This can be a sign that your plant has too much sunlight, too little, or you are intake of water, taking water, being fertilized or applying fertilizer. First, fine-tune the water and feed it to see if it helps, and if yellow continues, consider changing its position. Yellow leaves can also appear when the plant is simply beginning to lie dormant during the season.
• Drooping leaves: The leaves are drooping if they are too heavy (stakes can be used if necessary) or because you need to adjust your water, food, or light levels. Also, if the temperature is too cold, the leaves may sag.
• Withered leaves: In general, wilted leaves are due to too little light or water. Water more often and if it doesn’t do the trick, move to a less sunny place.
• Stunting leaves: Leafs that have smaller or deformed leaves usually indicate that they need more food, light, or water.