Yet, by keeping water in the pan, under the potted plant, it will increase the level of humidity around your plant. ELEPHANT EAR CARE High drama and bold texture are the signature benefits of showcasing elephant ears in a garden or container. When watering, water until the water is draining freely from the drainage holes. The peat not only drains well, but will provide your plant with its needed nutrients. However for the best performance of your plant keeping them above 15 degrees Celsius is ideal. this plant grows fast and is a bushing type succulent with woody stems. is the right plant for the job. CARING FOR ELEPHANT EARS IN THE FALL Elephant ears will not survive freezing temperatures and are … Place a layer of pebbles or small rocks underneath the elephant ear pot in the water catch pan for your plant. Ultimate Guide to Winter House Plant Care, 3 Essential Oils to Keep Spider Mites at Bay. Yes, elephant ears tend to emerge fairly late in spring, even early summer, when planted directly in the garden so many gardeners prefer to start them early indoors. Elephant ears are heavy feeders. Learn which plants thrive in your Hardiness Zone with our new interactive map! They're grown from tuberous rhizomes and can reach impressive sizes quickly. It’s best to use high quality fertilizers in contrast of cheaper fertilizers that contain heavy salts, which should be avoided as they can damage the roots and could even kill the plant. A: Alocasia (a.k.a. Elephant ears need bright sunlight when grown indoors, but nothing too harsh. Sweet Potato Vine Keep the soil barely moist but not wet. Watering during the winter months should be cut back, and you should allow the soil to slightly dry out between watering and discontinue fertilizing the plant. Therefore, it is best to try and avoid wet, mucky or dry, sandy soils. Before the first frost of the year, move elephant ears to pots or move pots containing the plants indoors, ideally in a cool, humid area; 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit is an ideal temperature. Okay, technically, it doesn’t have ears, but the leaves of this tropical species do closely resemble elephant ears. Bring the tropics indoors with a feature plant that really likes to listen! Because the plant is tropical in its origins, keeping a high humidity level is the main requirement to successfully growing an elephant ear houseplant. Portulacaria Afra a.k.a Elephant Bush a.k.a Miniature Jade. Image credit: Nadya J./anestwithayard.com How to Plant Elephant Ear Bulbs and Seeds. In addition to this list for a wide range of information on combating and dealing with a large range of indoor plant diseases and pests click here. The mature, broad, velvety black leaves have striking white veins making this easy-care plant a real beauty. Keep a water source near the plant. Elephant Ear Plant Care Fertilize sparingly and at least 6 inches away from the base. If you found this article helpful make sure to subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest Indoor plant tips and care guides. You can also fertilize them about once a month, following package directions, to boost growth, or treat them to a slow-release fertilizer at the start of the season. Watering during the winter months should be cut back, and you should allow the soil to slightly dry out between watering and discontinue fertilizing the plant. However, if taken care of properly, these plants … The preferred light position is bright indirect light, thus for best growth requires this in order to thrive. Elephant ear plants thrive in the sun and grow fast in the summer. This plant finds its place in various ways as it can be used in making terrariums, dish gardening, Miniature gardening, Fairy gardens and last but not the least it finds its place in a hanging planter keeping its spectacular spilling capability in mind. The layer of pebbles will elevate the potted elephant ear plant so it does not take up too much water into the soil and cause root rot. Use a humidifier in the room where you have your elephant ear plant. Choose a site to situate the indoor elephant ear plant that is in indirect sunlight. Use a humidifier during the day to keep the area around the plant humid if your elephant ear plant is indoors. Elephant Ear Plant Care Gide: Common types of elephant ear plants? Elephant ear plants are large-leaved caladiums native to the tropical Americas and grown for their ornamental value. There are different reasons to cultivate Elephant Ear plants indoors. However, due to copious amounts of leaves and stems needed to be ingested for a lethal dose, it is unlikely to result in a fatality. The bulbs or tubers of Elephant ears are grown in Northern and Southern gardens primarily for their very decorative, ornamental foliage, and need lots of room. Also make sure to checkout our Facebook and Instagram pages for daily plant pics. Copyright Leaf Group Ltd. // Leaf Group Lifestyle. If growing in pots use a rich, organic potting soil and plant them at the same depth. The layer of pebbles will elevate the potted elephant ear plant so it does not take up too much water into the soil and cause root rot. If the foliage isn’t dusted frequently your plant may become weak and unhealthy which opens up susceptibility to some illnesses and pests. Elephant ear plants demand a high humidity level to thrive, and a humidifier will help bring the plant's environment to an appropriate level of humidity. Furthermore this can be resolved by changing the position of your plant to somewhere that better suits it’s light requirements. Make sure the soil your elephant ear plant is growing in is a well-draining, peat-rich variety. They are closely related to taro and several other large-leaved plants in the Aracea family, which are also called elephant ear plants. The juvenile leaves appear as bright lime-green and the pale leaf stems have a purplish jagged banding which adds even more intrigue to this eye-catching species. If you live in a colder climate, consider keeping your elephant ear plant indoors, at least to overwinter. Harden off elephant ear plants for about a week prior to placing them outdoors. When kept indoors with proper care you can expect your plant to reach a maximum of 6 foot or more in length. Whether you want to frame an entryway, define a patio or create a tropical retreat in an indoor space, the elephant’s ear (Alocasia spp.) Keeping your elephant ear plant at least five feet from a sunlit window, with temperatures in the 65 to 75 degree Fahrenheit range, is ideal. Outdoors they do well in partial shade. Mist your elephant ear plant regularly. To grow these stunning plants, plant the bulbs in the early spring with the right soil conditions. When guttation occurs, it's a sign that you have over-watered your plant––the saturated roots create pressure on the rest of the plant… Mature Elephant Ear plants can grow up to 8 foot tall, similarly this is around the same size of actual African Elephant Ears of 6 feet. A number of cultivars also exist, including types with dark leaves (for example, C. esculenta 'Black Magic'), placing them among the so-called "black plants." Taxonomy and Botany . When you notice the foliage begin to wilt and appear spent, stop watering and feeding the plant. During the winter months, discontinue your fertilizer program. According to Better Homes and Gardens gardening expert, Roger Fox, elephant ears (Alocasia species) need adequate warmth and humidity to grow indoors as they’re native to tropical areas. If your plant is housed in a spot with a humidity level consistently outside of this range click here for detailed tips on how to specifically increase or decrease humidity levels. For growing elephant ear plants indoors, try to imitate wetland by mixing peat and perlite with organic-rich material that holds moisture, but don’t forget that every indoor plant needs well-draining soil. While guttation can occur with many vascular plants, grasses, and several species of fungi, indoors it is particularly common with calla lilies. An Alocasia plant, native to Asia, is also called an Elephant Ear plant or African Mask plant because of their very large, glossy, heart-shaped leaves with wavy edges. 23rd December 20203rd June 2020 | Indoorplantaddicts. Start them about 6 weeks before last frost. You can have a larger than life set up indoors by growing an elephant ear plant. ‘Frydek’ makes an outstanding potted plant for the home or garden. Elephant Ear like the soil to be constantly moist granted that You should water your plant when the top inch of soil is dry. Once the first frost kills the foliage, cut back the stalks 2 to 4 inches from the soil line, then cover the soil with a layer of mulch 4 inches deep. Some reasons include starting them indoors during the winter and then replanting outdoors in the spring to get faster yield, growing them indoors for their aesthetic value, and growing them in a controlled environment for research. In addition, a sign your plant is getting too much light during the day is burnt leaves. This will signal the plant that it is time to enter the dormancy period. Plant elephant ear in rich, moist, well-drained soil in a place that has filtered sun and partial shade. If you live in a colder climate or during winter months with temperatures below this a greenhouse is recommended. Elephant Ear require rich organic and moist soil that is well draining. There are four main types of elephant ear plants, and their watering, soil, and light requirements are all a bit different.Their needs can also be different when grown outdoors in the ground, outdoors in pots, or indoors … While elephant ear plants survive winters in frost-prone areas, specifically within USDA zones 8 through 9, the foliage will die back after a frost or cold spell. A dramatic houseplant, the elephant ear plant is so called because of the shape of its large leaves that vaguely resemble elephant ears. These plants are considered to be toxic thus can consequently be deadly if consumed. Elephant ears (Alocasia spp. Their attractive foliage can be an exciting feature all year round. If you grow your elephant ear parent plant outdoors in the ground and the temperature drops below 40 °F (4 °C) where you live, dig them up in the fall and store the bulbs indoors during the winter. The Elephant Ear plant or taro elephant ears is the common name for the genus Colocasia. A perennial tuber coming from the tropical swamplands under family Araceae. As far as how deep to plant elephant ear bulbs, you should plant tubers fairly close to the soil’s surface, perhaps two to four inches. These stunning, veined leaves come in red, bronze, blue-green, and purple. Plant taxonomy classifies the most widely known elephant ear plants, or "taro," as Colocasia esculenta.But plants of the Alocasia genus and of the Xanthosoma genus can go by the same common name as well. 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