Post by Arlene on Aug 13, 2005 12:43:35 GMT -5
this is my elephant ear plant. I got it off Yahoo auctions this spring. can't believe how huge it got.
INFO
elephant ears (or taro), named for their large size and shape, grow from tubers which produce corms. It is the corm that grows into an above-ground stem when the plant is brought out of dormancy.
Colocasia esculenta, a wetland perennial in tropical climates. Although this species is the old standard for gardens, there are many new cultivars of Colocasia on the market now, offering variations in leaf coloration and texture.
All Colocasias take the same basic growing conditions.
A complete plant profile and cultural instructions for Colocasia esculenta is given at this Floridata web site:
www.floridata.com/ref/c/colo_esc.cfm
Colocasia will grow in part shade in southern states. Ample soil moisture is a must, especially if grown in full sun. Self watering pots with a reservoir reduce your watering duties if you choose to grow them in pots. Potted Colocasias can also be grown standing the shallow water of a water garden (up to the pot edge). Pot Colocasias in large heavy pots which will allow room for tubers to produce next year's corms and will limit the incidence of blowing over in high winds.
Since Colocasias are such heavy feeders they should be fed weekly with a liquid fertilizer according to package instructions. If your elephant ears don't produce rapid lush growth, they need either more heat, more water or more nitrogen.
If you want to get a jump on the growing season, you can start elephant ears indoors up to 8 weeks before the last frost in your area. Depending on how they were stored it sometimes takes them a while to come out of dormancy. If growing them in pots use a rich organic potting soil. Plant the corms blunt end down, beneath 2 inches of soil.
When frost threatens, bring elephant ears indoors if you want to winter them as house plant. For best results provide a southern exposure and don't let the soil dry out. As long as the plant continues to produce new leaves, apply a diluted liquid fertilizer (half strength). Your main difficulty with indoor culture will be supplying Colocasia with enough humidity. In the spring be sure to harden it off (over a week gradually expose it to direct sun and wind) before putting it on the patio or planting it in the ground after your last frost.
If you plan to let the plants go dormant, check this fact sheet on Storing Tender Bulbs and Bulblike Structures:
www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1117.html Follow storage recommendations given for Caladium.
When dividing Colocasia tubers, each piece must have a corm in order to produce a shoot. Let the cut up tubers dry a few days before planting them.
It is important to note that if you try some of the newer cultivars of Colocasia, they do not form large tubers and cannot be stored in a dormant state due to a lack of adequate food reserves for coming out of dormancy. In this case they must be over wintered as house plants.
There are two other tropical species that also go by the common name of elephant ears, Alocasia and Xanthosoma. According to the University of Florida, garden culture for all three species is the same. Reduce light for cultivars of any of these plants if they suffer leaf burn in full sun. Many photos of the various species and their cultivars are easily found by searching the internet.
INFO
elephant ears (or taro), named for their large size and shape, grow from tubers which produce corms. It is the corm that grows into an above-ground stem when the plant is brought out of dormancy.
Colocasia esculenta, a wetland perennial in tropical climates. Although this species is the old standard for gardens, there are many new cultivars of Colocasia on the market now, offering variations in leaf coloration and texture.
All Colocasias take the same basic growing conditions.
A complete plant profile and cultural instructions for Colocasia esculenta is given at this Floridata web site:
www.floridata.com/ref/c/colo_esc.cfm
Colocasia will grow in part shade in southern states. Ample soil moisture is a must, especially if grown in full sun. Self watering pots with a reservoir reduce your watering duties if you choose to grow them in pots. Potted Colocasias can also be grown standing the shallow water of a water garden (up to the pot edge). Pot Colocasias in large heavy pots which will allow room for tubers to produce next year's corms and will limit the incidence of blowing over in high winds.
Since Colocasias are such heavy feeders they should be fed weekly with a liquid fertilizer according to package instructions. If your elephant ears don't produce rapid lush growth, they need either more heat, more water or more nitrogen.
If you want to get a jump on the growing season, you can start elephant ears indoors up to 8 weeks before the last frost in your area. Depending on how they were stored it sometimes takes them a while to come out of dormancy. If growing them in pots use a rich organic potting soil. Plant the corms blunt end down, beneath 2 inches of soil.
When frost threatens, bring elephant ears indoors if you want to winter them as house plant. For best results provide a southern exposure and don't let the soil dry out. As long as the plant continues to produce new leaves, apply a diluted liquid fertilizer (half strength). Your main difficulty with indoor culture will be supplying Colocasia with enough humidity. In the spring be sure to harden it off (over a week gradually expose it to direct sun and wind) before putting it on the patio or planting it in the ground after your last frost.
If you plan to let the plants go dormant, check this fact sheet on Storing Tender Bulbs and Bulblike Structures:
www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/DG1117.html Follow storage recommendations given for Caladium.
When dividing Colocasia tubers, each piece must have a corm in order to produce a shoot. Let the cut up tubers dry a few days before planting them.
It is important to note that if you try some of the newer cultivars of Colocasia, they do not form large tubers and cannot be stored in a dormant state due to a lack of adequate food reserves for coming out of dormancy. In this case they must be over wintered as house plants.
There are two other tropical species that also go by the common name of elephant ears, Alocasia and Xanthosoma. According to the University of Florida, garden culture for all three species is the same. Reduce light for cultivars of any of these plants if they suffer leaf burn in full sun. Many photos of the various species and their cultivars are easily found by searching the internet.
