Elephant Ear Plant Care Guide: Types, Planting, Growth, and Maintenance

You can now keep an elephant in your apartment. Well, not really an elephant, but a plant has some resemblance, the Elephant Ear plant, also known as Alocasia,

How to take care of the Elephant Ear shrub? It’s not as hard as you might think. We will tell you about watering and light requirements for indoor and outdoor growth, soil preferences, humidity needs, flowering, and many other tips.

Try this free plant identifier app. Getting to know the nature around you is fun.

Description and Facts

The Elephant Ear plant is a common name for several tropical plants with large, heart-shaped or arrowhead-shaped leaves. Most plants from the Alocasia genus are nicknamed “Elephant Ear”. Some Colocasias and Xanthosomas, too, may have this nickname.

Nowadays, plants coming by that name are very popular, and devoted gardeners might even collect many varieties of this tropical shrub.

Elephant Ear Plant Types

Ornamental plants, like Elephant Ear, often come in various sizes and colours. Through mutations and selective breeding, several species developed peculiar features. Let’s look at some of the more unique Elephant Ears:

• Black Elephant Ear Plant: All cultivars have dark, almost black velvety leaves, some with purple undertones. A famous cultivar is Colocasia Black Magic. Black variety adds dramatic contrast in gardens or containers.

• Purple Elephant Ear Plant: Features deep purple or purple-tinged leaves. Alocasia Purple Prince and Colocasia Black Ruffles (which has a purplish sheen, despite the name) are popular cultivars. Light makes the purple hue more pronounced. 

• Pink Elephant Ear Plant: Pink coloration is usually in the veins or stems, not the whole leaf. Alocasia Pink Dragon is the most popular cultivar and has green leaves with striking pink stems.

• Red Elephant Ear: Similar to pink, red usually shows up in veins or stems rather than full leaves. A famous example is Alocasia Cuprea Red Secret, featuring metallic green leaves with a deep reddish underside. Most red cultivars are small.

• Giant Elephant Ear Plant: This variety can grow up to 10 feet tall with leaves 3–6 feet long. Colocasia Gigantea (Thailand Giant) is one of the largest, with huge green leaves that can reach the size of a person. Even Monstera would envy that size.

Elephant Ear Care

Just like elephants, some of these plants are quite hardy. Taking care of them is more than manageable. Follow these care recommendations, and your green buddy will flourish.

Light Requirements

Outdoors, find a spot with partial shade to filtered sunlight. Some types (like Colocasia) handle more sun if kept very moist.

Indoors, look for a post with bright, indirect light. Avoid harsh direct sun, which can scorch leaves.

Water Requirements

Like many tropical shrubs, they love moisture, above 60%. Keep soil consistently damp but not soggy.

Reduce watering in winter when growth slows, as it leads to overwatering.

Soil and Fertilizer Requirements

Elephant Ears like rich, well-draining soil with organic matter (compost or peat mix). If you want to feed them, use balanced liquid fertilizer every 2–3 weeks in the growing season (spring–summer).

Temperature and Humidity Requirements

The shrub prefers warmth (65–85°F / 18–29°C). In winter, keep the indoor Elephant Ear plant away from cold open windows, as it does not tolerate frost. 

The shrub thrives in high humidity (50%+). Mist leaves or use a humidifier indoors.

Common Problems

Sometimes these shrubs get sick, and it’s your job to help them. Both outdoor and indoor shrubs may be afflicted.

The most common problems are:

• Overwatering / Root Rot. Shows up as wilting leaves, mushy stems, foul-smelling soil, and yellowing leaves. The cause is soggy, overwatered soil, suffocating roots. To fix it, improve drainage, reduce watering, and report if roots are rotting.

• Yellowing Leaves: Caused by overwatering and nutrient deficiency (especially nitrogen). To fix, adjust watering. Feed with balanced fertilizer if needed. Remove old yellow leaves to give space to new green foliage.

• Leaf Burn / Browning Edges: Has dry, crispy edges or brown patches. Caused by too much direct sun, low humidity, and salt buildup from fertilizer. To fix the issue, move the shrub to bright, indirect light. 

How to Plant Elephant Ear Bulbs

So, do you want to have this shrub outdoors? Indoors? Whatever the location, first you need to plant them. This flora propagates via underground structures. Some call them corms, others call them rhizomes or bulbs.

When to plant Elephant Ear bulbs? The best time is in spring, after all the danger of frost has passed. Soil temperature should be 65°F (18°C) or warmer. Temperature matters significantly if you want an Elephant Ear plant to grow in garden placement. Indoor, it’s always warmer, so soil temperature matters less.

1. Choose the right location: Outdoors, pick a spot with partial shade to filtered sunlight. Indoors, pick a large pot with good drainage, placed in bright, indirect light.

2. Plant the shrub: Prepare rich, well-draining soil with lots of organic matter. Dig a hole 4–6 inches (10–15 cm) deep, and place the bulb with the pointy side up (that’s where the shoots will emerge). Cover with soil and press down gently.

3. Care for the sapling: Water thoroughly after planting. Keep soil consistently moist, but not soggy. Sprouts usually appear in 3–8 weeks, depending on warmth. As leaves grow, cut off any yellow/damaged foliage.

Toxicity and Safety

Warning! Elephant Ears are toxic. All parts of the plant contain calcium oxalate crystals (tiny, needle-like compounds). When chewed or swallowed, these crystals cause irritation and burning.

There are only a few exceptions. For example, Colocasia esculenta is edible, and cooking destroys the toxic compounds.

Still, most of these shrubs are toxic, so keep them in a place unreachable by pets and children.

Benefits and Use

What good is in keeping an Elephant Ear plant indoors? A plenty of good. Just look at the table of benefits below.

An Easy Way to Identify Plants

Have you ever tried to identify an unfamiliar flower or a shrub? Then you must know that it might not be easy! Fortunately, technologies today are a great help. In particular, the flora identification apps.

AI Plant Finder

This app is a lifesaver for anyone interested in gardening and botany. Here are the key features:

• Instant Plant Identification: Snap a photo of any plant, and the app uses advanced AI to identify it accurately.

• Comprehensive Plant Information: Provides detailed insights into plant species, including care requirements, optimal growing conditions, and potential pests or diseases.

• Personalized Care Reminders: Set up watering schedules, light exposure, and other care tasks to ensure your plants thrive.

• Disease and Pest Detection: Upload images of affected plants to diagnose issues and receive treatment suggestions.

• Light Meter Tool: Assess the light levels in your environment to determine the best spots for your plants.

AI Plant Finder is free, available on Android and iOS devices.

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