citizenry often call a chemical group of tropic perennial plants “ elephant ears ” because their leafage are big and heart - determine . As ornamental , most of these herbaceous plants in the arum or aroid family ( Araceae ) come from the genera Colocasia , Alocasia , and Xanthosoma . However , there are others that look and acquire in the same way .
Tropical southerly Asia , Indonesia , Malaysia , New Guinea , parts of Australia , or the Pacific Islands are home to the first two genus . Tropical America is home to Xanthosoma . Many of the species have been grown for a long time because their starchy corms or tubers are a master seed of solid food in tropical areas .
It is possible to run through the leave of absence , but they need to be cooked first because they contain acerate leaf - similar calcium oxalate crystals that are big for your skin .
One of the most widely maturate species is C. esculenta , called taro and many other common name calling . It has been grow for thousands of year in Asia and Polynesia , and over 200 cultivars have been chosen for their culinary or ornamental quality . This species apace claim over wetlands with mild weather , and it is consider to be an incursive metal money along the Gulf Coast .
mass get these plants in the Midwest for their flat , sagittate ( arrow- or heart - shaped ) leave that often have clear veins . These plants have smooth , waxy leaves that can maturate up to 3 feet longsighted and 2 feet wide in their natural environment . But when develop as a seasonal plant life , they run to be much smaller .
The leaves are agree on the conclusion of recollective , thick , succulent petiole amount directly from the underground corm . The leafstalk unite to the leaf near the middle of the underside ( peltate ) , and the leaves are held directly up by the unsloped leafstalk . The parting face upward or outward .
The leaves of Alocasia and Xanthosoma are usually not peltate and are held more upright . These plant broadly speaking develop from corm ( commonly call bulbs , although they are not true incandescent lamp ) , .
but some type also bring about long , lissom stolons ( above ground runners ) , and others do not spring corms . The chunky corms with rough ridges have a brownish skin and a white or pink interior . Other than the main corm , some eccentric of elephant ear also have smaller tubers , which are forebode “ cormels ” or “ eddo , ” that spring up off the side Elephant ears are mostly grown for their parting , but they can flower . In the Midwest , flower are n’t common , though . The efflorescence clusters look like most aroid , with a livid to yellow or dismount green spathe around the spadix . They can be heavy , fragrant and attractive , but are ordinarily veil underneath the foliage . Fruits are globular dark-green or scandalmongering berries turn back several seeds .
The standard emerald green C. esculenta , which has a matte finish , used to be the only case of elephant ear that gardeners in the Midwest could buy . But in the last 20 years , breed programs have make many new decorative varieties . They range in size from 8 inch to more than 9 pes , but most are between 3 and 5 ft grandiloquent . Some of the many interesting cultivars uncommitted include ( C. esculenta unless otherwise noted ):
“ Coffee Cups , ” which is sometimes erroneously name “ Tea Cups , ” is a vigorous intercrossed plant with small leaves on very tall dark leafstalk . The blade of the leaves are folded up into a cup form .
“ Hilo Beauty ” is a small type of Alocasia plant that rise to be about a foot tall . Its dour green leaves have irregular icteric or emollient spots on them .
‘ Illustris ’ ( regal dalo , var . antiquorum ) – has dark gullible parting that are matted and have a purple to black sheen . The veins and leafstalk are bright green . The plant spread by hugger-mugger runners . The leaves are never as dingy as “ Black deception ” or many other black varieties , but the colouring material is strong in burnished light .
Add a sheer , tropical look to your yard with elephant ears in borders , raft plantings , or pots . These beautiful foliage plant make a big difference with the size of it , color , and shape of their leave . They combine well with other tropical plants such as banana tree , Alpha Geminorum attic , coloured caladiums , .
Chinese hibiscus and mandevillea , but they also look great with ferns , ornamental green goddess , and other common temperate bedding plant . Pair dark - leaved kind with any white , yellow , or orange - bloom plant for vivid contrast . If you found one of the clippety-clop types in the middle of low - growing annuals like petunias or begonias , it can make an interesting focal spot in the garden because of its vase - comparable chassis . Put them in big water containers with paper rush and piss lilies , or keep them in their own container to mix and match with other plant on a patio or pack of cards .
There are many kinds of elephant ear that can be grown in some shade , but the blue kinds do advantageously in full sun . All take rich , moist soil and virtually all are perfect at the edge of a pond . Most of them can grow in just a few inches of water and can be bestow to water gardens as emergent plants , which means their roots are in the piddle and the territory is just scarcely covered with water .
These tropic plants originate best in warm temperatures and gamy humidness . They might stay put in gardens in the Midwest until it get warm in the summer , and they will also die when the temperature discharge below 50F for a long clip .
The plant continually produce new leave throughout the grow season . The older leave that step by step die off can be removed to keep the works bet tidy . When you select a spot to found in the spring , do n’t leave to think about how the elephant ear might shade off out lowly plant life as they grow .
To grow big elephant ear , you should start up with a big bulb or a plant with roots . you could rise them from seeds , but many of the New cultivar are only sell as tissue genteel plants that have n’t organize bulb yet . It will take a few weeks for the first leaves to appear from the bulb . These hardy perennials do dear when started indoors . In March , pot up the bulb and set the top of the light bulb close to the soil surface . Keep the bulb in a warm place until it ’s prison term to plant it outside when the weather gets warm , which is usually in late May or early June .
As the works grow , give them heaps of H2O and fertilizer , especially if they are in pots . They ask a mountain of food . Taro theme , which is also known as coco yam , can be purchase in Asian grocery store and grow instead of corrode to make unmingled elephant ear with fleeceable leaves ( as long as the corm have n’t been treat with something to stop growth ) .
Elephant ears can be grown every year with new plant , or they can be kept all wintertime ( most of them are only sturdy to zone 8) . When hoarfrost kill the leaves on plants , the bulb can be dug up , dry , and stack away like canna or Dahlia pinnata . Illustris with other tender annual . Alocasia x amazonica ‘ Poly ’ .
It ’s tough to keep plants inside that do n’t have bulbs , but you might be able to if you put them somewhere lovesome and bright . It is honorable to bring plants to be kept as houseplant indoors before temperatures get into the 30 ’s . foreshorten back all but the top two leaves and keep at room temperature in bright luminance . When plants are half - dormant , keep them on the siccative side . When growth starts up again in the give , water and fecundate them regularly again . – Susan Mahr , University of Wisconsin – Madison .
A Guide to the Diverse Types of Elephant Ear Plants
Elephant ears are a group of impressive tropic plants known for their huge , core - shaped leaves . While they all divvy up a similar leafage shape , there is really quite a bit of multifariousness among the various elephant ear flora types . Elephant ear belong to to several plant genera include Colocasia , Alocasia and Xanthosoma . There are over 200 different elephant ear plant mixture to take from ! In this article , we ’ll look at some of the most democratic types of elephant ear and what create each one unparalleled .
Colocasia Esculenta ( Taro )
The most mutual and widely grow elephant ear is Colocasia esculenta , also known as dasheen . This fast growing flora has large , velvety green leave that can reach over 2 foot blanket on plant exceeding 5 feet tall . dasheen prefers full sun and consistent moisture . It has been cultivated for K of year as a food crop due to its magnanimous , starchy corms . Taro elephant ears append a sheer tropic look to garden and container .
There are many different eddo cultivar to choose from including ‘ Black thaumaturgy ’ with thick Bourgogne foliage , ‘ Mojito ’ with dark green and black splotched leaves , and ‘ Hawaiian Punch ’ with yellowish green leaves veined in dark red . The variety ‘ Black Stem ’ has striking purple - black stems and teal dark leaves . ‘ Coffee Cups ’ is a vigorous taro cultivar with smaller cupped leaves held on tall , black leafstalk .
Alocasia Amazonica ( African Mask Plant )
Alocasia amazonica , also called African masque industrial plant , display strange , trigon - influence leaves with wavy border . The most popular cultivar are ‘ Polly ’ and ‘ Bambino ’ , which grow about 1 invertebrate foot tall and are ideal for containers and houseplants . The folio of African mask works point up and the plant prefer well - drain dirt and partial shade .
Other Alocasia Varieties
There are many other interesting Alocasia elephant auricle . A. macrorrhiza has giant leaf that can strain 5 ft foresighted . A. zebrina has arrowhead leaves notice with silvery nervure . A. baginda ‘ Dragon Scale ’ lives up to its name with parting in shades from silver to inkiness . A. reginula ‘ Black Velvet ’ is a compendious variety under 3 feet tall with saturnine purple - black leaves .
Xanthosoma Sagittifolium
Xanthosoma sagittifolium is commonly known as tannia or malanga . This tropical American aboriginal species has arrowhead determine leave that point downwardly . The cultivar ‘ Lime Zinger ’ has electrical lime green leaves that really stand out . Xanthosomas opt full sun and moist stain like Colocasias .
Ideal Growing Conditions for Elephant spike
While there is diversity among elephant pinna mintage and cultivar , they share standardized growing requirements . Elephant ears need :
Elephant spike thrive in pond margins and peat bog garden . you’re able to even grow them in several in of standing water ! Container growing work well too . Just be sure to water oftentimes and fertilise often .
Adding Elephant Ears to the Landscape
Thanks to their huge , colored foliage , elephant ear make a dramatic program line in any garden . Here are some ways to showcase these tropical beauty :
give care for Elephant Ears
Elephant ear fly high on heating system , moisture , and nutrients during the growing time of year . Apply a balanced fluid fertiliser every 2 - 3 weeks . Prune back any damaged leave and take away spent leave to keep plant looking bracing .
In fall , elephant ears can be stab up and overwintered indoors like other tropic medulla . Those without true bulbs are more challenging to overwinter but it can be done in a smart , warm spot if they are moved inside before frost .
The Many cheek of Elephant ear
While all elephant ear share the same basic leaf shape , they come in a huge mountain chain of sizes , colors , and growth riding habit . There are varieties perfect for landscape painting seam , container gardens , pond margins , and indoor displays . Whether you opt for a classic green taro or a flashy purple - black cultivar , elephant spike always make a dramatic statement . add up some to your garden this class and savour their bluff tropical flair !
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28 Elephant Ear Plant Varieties with Names| Colocasia, Alocasia types | Plant and Planting
FAQ
How many varieties of elephant ear plant life are there ?
Do elephant ear like full sun or subtlety ?
What is the divergence between elephant ear Alocasia and Colocasia ?
What plants are misguided for elephant ear ?
What type of elephant capitulum plants can you grow ?
Here are a few stunning variety of elephant auricle plants you may grow to add a tropical standard pressure to your yard or an indoor setting . African Mask Plant ( Alocasia x amazonica ) — This democratic evergreen plant recurrent elephant ear has blue greenish triangular leaves with strike creamy - white pointed veins .
How many type of elephant spike plant are there ?
So , as long as you ’re open-eyed about learn for pest and diseases , your elephant ear plant should thrive ! In summary , there are four types of elephant ear plants : Colocasia , Caladium , Alocasia , and Xanthosoma . Each case has a different look with leave of absence ranging in color from light to dark green .
What is an elephant ear plant ?
The first species of elephant ear plant life is the Colocasia . It has large , dreary unripened leaves that form a clod at land degree . The colors swan from light to dark green with majestic veins and stem on top of pinkish petiole ( the part of the leaf stem ) . The flora is thought to originate from Southeast Asia and is also called taro .
How openhanded do elephant ear plant life get ?
Grow the eye - get elephant ear Alocasia zebrina in corporation near a sunny window but protect from direct lighter . Taro ‘ Illustris ’ ( Colocasia esculenta ‘ Illustris ’ ) — A stunning elephant ear industrial plant with purplish leaves and birdlime immature nervure . Outdoors , this telling elephant auricle plant grow up to 5 ft ( 1.5 m ) tall and 4 ft . ( 1.2 m ) wide .
