The care and effort it takes to overwinter elephant ears (Colocasia spp. Read on for ten top tips on how to grow elephant ears in your garden. Introduction to Elephant Ear. Both waterlogged soil and wet foliage can lead to a variety of fungal infections. Previous Next. Colocasia plants (Elephant Ear plants) are common outdoor decorative plants, but also make a beautiful addition indoors! The genus Colocasia includes six species of tuberous perennials from tropical Asia, grown there as a staple food. Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic'. Colocasia esculenta can grow very large. Elephant ears belong to two related groups of plants, Colocasia and Alocasia. Colocasias are tropical looking perennial plants known in the western world as elephant ear or taro. They are native to swamps and other moist areas and can be used in large aquatic containers in the garden or in the ground in moist soil. Learn about elephant ear plant care and how you can grow this popular species, even if you live in a colder climate. This goes for the roots and the leaves. Alocasia x Amazonica, also known as Alocasia ‘Polly,’ features shiny, deep green leaves with angular edges and contrasting white veining. Plant care and collection of Elephant Ears (Colocasia) at Garden.org, with informative growing guides and 495 images of 121 varieties listed. Another compact variety, ‘Silver Dragon,’ has silvery, pale green leaves with dark green veining that shows red on the underside. When growing any of the varieties but especially Colocasia esculenta you’ll need to plant them in the ground or in a large container, for several reasons. See below Description. Alocasia House Plant Care Guide for 2020 Water. Colocasia esculenta is known by many different nick names, including taro root, poi, potato of the tropics, eddo, djamandarrand and papachina. ), which grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11 with some variation within species, depends on your climate.In frost-free tropical and sub-tropical areas, these lush foliage plants grow year-round with minimal winter care. Some Alocasia plants can grow to be 8-10 feet tall! The goal when watering an elephant ear is to prevent it from becoming soggy. Elephant Ear Plant Care. Growing Kris Plant Alocasia. Learn How To Plant, Care and Grow Splendid Elephant Ears Alocasia, Colocasia, Taro, Imperial Taro. It needs to be porous and a recommended mix would be one part soil, one part perlite or coarse potting sand and one part peat.The potting mixture must be well aerated, well drained, and yet remain moist. To support its size it needs space to accommodate the root system. Both types can be grown in the garden or as houseplants, though colocasias are more often planted outdoors (they’re generally larger) and alocasias are a bit more common as houseplants. Alocasia Care Alocasia plants make a statement with their bold, arrow-head shaped leaves and tall stems. Phonetic Spelling kol-oh-KAY-see-uh es-kew-LEN-tuh This plant has medium severity poison characteristics. Proper Alocasia plant care begins with the soil.