Elephant Ear questions...

[joz]

As far as transplanting goes....

I dig up / machete down / try awfully hard to eradicate them (mine are weeds). I toss the bits in my compost pile.... Which is now growing more elephant ears. So I don't think they mind being moved.

If anyone wants some HUGE bright green ones, I'll send the roots from next ones I dig out (tho I can't say when that will be). I'd love to get 'em as far away from my yard as possible. They spread.

 

[lesa]

Interesting! One mans prized plant, is another's weed! Even with our short growing season, my tubers multiply at a pretty fast rate. I will bet in your warm weather, they could take over the world!

 

[baymule]

Joz, you are so right! They grow in the road side ditches here! And everywhere else they ever get started.

 

[canesisters]

Joz, if mine come back this spring, I would LOVE to have some of yours to add to them.

They were lovely, but I guess I'm just a lazy gardener, I'm not going to dig them up every year and replant them. If they didn't make it through the winter, I'll have to find something else to plant along the back of the house.

 

[bj taylor]

i can't imagine elephant ears growing that easily. i bought a tuber about a month ago. i don't know if it's going to come up or not. i'm a pretty dry gardener. i picked a spot i thought it might have a better chance getting watered.

 

[nelson castro]

Elephant ears have large, heart-shaped leaves that can add beauty to a home. In the northern states, if grown outside, elephant ears must be treated as annual, but if you grow them inside the plants are perennials. In the past gardeners have hotly debated whether elephant ear plants can be grown indoors at all.

There are many varieties of Elephant Ear plants, with colors ranging from dark green to a very dark purple. Luckily, they all have the same basic growth pattern (but different sizes) and all need the same care requirements.

Elephant Ear plants like humid environments (as do all tropical plants) between 65 to 75 degrees F. Repot the plant once a year during spring until fully grown (the plant will react badly to transfer and look wilting and sad for a few weeks - just keep it well watered and it will recover). Elephant Ears need watering once ever 2 to 3 days. Use the soil as an indicator - if it is dry to half an inch deep it needs some more water. Elephant Ear plants like lots of indirect sunlight. Keep the plant in a light room (or patio) just out of the direct sunlight.

 

[joz]

i can't imagine elephant ears growing that easily.

When you're in New Orleans, they do. I just whacked 'em all down again with a machete. Some of them were 4' tall (we skipped winter this year). They like it humid.