How do I know what kind of elephant ear plant I have?

Types of Elephant Ear Bulbs

The best way to tell the two elephant ear genera apart is to start with the large, elephant-size tubers. Colocasia tubers are bigger and are encircled by striped markings. Conspicuous growth nodes, or eyes, appear on the ends of the tubers.

What is the best elephant ear plant?

Colocasia

Colocasia is one of the best types of elephant ear plants you can grow! The big, peltate leaves can reach up to 2-3 feet long and 1-2 feet wide. It grows quite fast, reaching up to 6-8 feet tall. The plant thrives well in indirect sunlight.

Are there different sizes of elephant ears?

As with other bulbs, elephant ear tubers are graded by size. We offer large tubers that are 9-11 inches in circumference. They grow into big plants with strong stems and abundant foliage. Smaller tubers (like the one on the right) produce smaller plants with less foliage.

Do elephant ears come in different colors?

Elephant Ear Plant Colors. The leaves of elephant ears are their most important ornamental trait. The most common color is a rich emerald green, but now leaf colors can range from black or brown, to chartreuse gold.

How often should you water elephant ears?

Water your Elephant Ear per week, especially during the growing season. Above-average humidity is ideal for your Elephant Ear plant. Elephant Ear prefers temperatures between 65°F and 75°F.

Should I cut off yellow elephant ears?

Pruning Elephant Ears

Drooping leaves can be cut off with a sharp blade. Yellowing or brown leaves can be cut off at the stem. Disinfect the blade with each cut to prevent the spread of disease. This will give the plant more energy to put towards new growing leaves.

How many kinds of elephant ears are there?

Taro/Lower classifications

How many varieties of elephant ears are there?

There are two types of elephant ears: alocasias and colocasias. Colocasias display their leaves with tip of the heart pointing down. They prefer full sun and consistent moisture. Alocasias hold the tip of their leaves out or upward and they prefer more well drained soil and a little shade.

Do elephant ears do well in pots?

If you decide you don’t want to plant your elephant ear plants in the ground, container growing is perfectly acceptable for these plants. Elephant ears do well in containers so long as you provide them with the right sized container, proper soil, and adequate sunlight.

How long do elephant ear plants last?

Are elephant ear plants perennials? Most are perennials in Zone 9 and warmer, where they will come back each summer. If gardening in cooler zones, you can treat them as annuals or dig up the tubers before the first frost and keep them in a cool, dry place over winter.

What is the difference between elephant ears and caladiums?

Caladiums have the same elongated heart shaped leaf, but offer smaller, delicate and more color variety than elephant ears. What they lack is size, caladiums provide impact from their saturated red and fuchsia foliage and create an explosion of color when combined with bright annuals.

How long do elephant ears take to grow to full size?

In healthy conditions, expect this elephant ear to reach full maturity from a crom in about 14 to 20 weeks.

What are the big elephant ear plants called?

Elephant ears is the common name for a group of tropical perennial plants grown for their large, heart-shaped leaves. “Elephant ears” is the common name for a group of tropical perennial plants grown for their large, heart-shaped leaves.

How many kinds of elephant ears are there?

Taro/Lower classifications

How can you tell the difference between Colocasia and Alocasia?

Colocasia tubers are large and swollen and encircled by striped bands. The tubers of Colocasia are also known as “taro” and are used for food in Hawaii. Alocasia tubers are smaller, thin and plain without the prominent stripes or eyes.

Do all elephant ears have bulbs?

Upright elephant ears are called alocasias, whereas elephant ears that go dormant are called colocasias. Both have bulbs, though the more accurate term is a corm. Once planted, these plants grow fairly quickly and can double or even triple in size if they are taken care of properly. They are mostly grown in containers.

Should I cut off elephant ear flowers?

Elephant ears will only bloom when they reach maturity (usually by the third growing season) and if they have perfect growing conditions. Most gardeners remove any flowers that form so all the energy can go into producing more attractive leaves.

Can you leave elephant ears in the ground over 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.