Should I stake my elephant ear?
- Exposure to direct sunlight. The plant should ideally be planted outdoors to ensure it is exposed to enough sunlight.
- Stem support. When the leaves become too big, the stems should be supported with stakes to prevent the plants from falling off.
- Supplements.
- Water regularly.
Should elephant ears be in big pots?
Using large pots will allow these plants to develop to their greatest potential and it also means you won't need to repot them for several years. Larger pots also dry out more slowly than smaller pots, and elephant ears need consistently moist soil.
Are elephant ears bad for the garden?
The issues with elephant ears are few and relatively easy to deal with as long as the plant doesn’t escape cultivation or take over the garden. The rapid and impressive elephant ear growth rate is easy to control if you pot up the corms. In northern gardens, this also makes it easy to bring the plant indoors for overwintering.
How to tell if elephant ears are getting enough sun?
You want to shy away from direct sunlight because it could wind up burning the leaves due to being too harsh. Another sign that your elephant ears aren’t getting enough sunlight will be yellowing leaves. If the leaves are starting to look a bit yellow instead of being green as normal, then you probably need to give them more sun.
Can I Move my Elephant ear plant inside?
Container-grown plants can easily be moved inside when cold weather arrives and enjoyed as houseplants. Why are my elephant ear plants drooping? Elephant ears may droop because there is a problem. Try adjusting the amount of light or water or applying a fertilizer.
How do you hold up elephant ears?
You should be able to wrap the soft stem around the base of the leaves at least 2 times. No need to knot it, just slip the end through one of the loops. It might look a little funny for a day or so, but eventually your "ears" will perk up and stand tall for you.
Why are my elephant ears falling over?
If your elephant ears are drooping currently, then it's possible that they're not getting enough sunlight. You might have them in a shady spot where there isn't enough light getting through. These plants do best when you place them in bright indirect sunlight.
How do you keep elephant ears from snapping?
They need LOTS of light (bright, indirect light for most of the day with full morning sun), and lots of water. Give it a big drink twice a week. These guys can also get rooty — make sure to check that it isn't root bound by pulling it out and separating the roots out a bit.
Do elephant ears grow better in pots or ground?
I recommend growing elephant ears in large pots, where they can reach their full growth potential. Smaller pots equal smaller growth, which is fine if you're growing a more compact variety or you only have a small patio or balcony. But if you want a lot of va-va-voom, opt for a big pot and a big variety.
How often should Elephant Ears be watered?
Water your Elephant Ear per week, especially during the growing season. Above-average humidity is ideal for your Elephant Ear plant. Elephant Ear prefers temperatures between 65°F and 75°F.
Can you overwater elephant ears?
Since Elephant Ears have high water needs, overwatering is generally not a concern, although it is possible. The leaves may turn yellow, starting at the tips if the plant is overwatered.
Do elephant ears like to be root bound?
Do alocasia like to be rootbound? Alocasia plants prefer to be slightly rootbound as this condition not only mimics their natural environment but also encourages foliage growth and prevents the roots from staying wet and developing root rot.
Why are my elephant ears curling?
Elephant Ear leaves curling as a result of overwatering, which causes root rot, dehydration, low humidity, temperature stress, and pest attacks. To resolve this issue, water elephant ear when the top soil feels dry, protect your plant from cold and repot if there are signs of root rot.
Why are the edges of my elephant ears turning yellow?
Cold temperatures will turn most tropical plants yellow, including elephant ears. If you keep your plant indoors, then keeping it next to an air conditioner or vent blowing out cold air could also contribute to its discoloration. Some colocasia will turn outright brown when exposed to the cold for too long.
When should I repot my elephant ear?
Repotting your Elephant Ear Plant Spring is the best time of year for repotting, your plant is just coming out of dormancy and is just about to start putting out lots of new growth. Repot using a standard house plant potting mix, add extra organic materials if you think you need to increase drainage.
Do elephant ears come back every year?
Most elephant's ears are perennials and will come back every summer in the Lower, Coastal, and Tropical South. Some are perennials in the lower part of the Middle South. They like the soil to be relatively dry in winter.
Where is the best place to plant elephant ears?
Elephant ears can be planted in full sun to part shade, but it prefers growing in a part shade or dappled sun location. Cultivars with darker leaves need more sun to maintain their color.
ELEPHANT EAR PLANT CARE
High drama and bold texture are the signature benefits of showcasing elephant ears in a garden or container. Growing them is simple — they like filtered sun or shade and rich, moist soil. They're grown from tuberous rhizomes and can reach impressive sizes quickly.
ELEPHANT EAR VARIETIES TO GROW
Their rapid growth creates a show even during a short growing season, making them worthy as one-shot annuals of benefit to northern gardeners.
DESIGNING WITH ELEPHANT EAR PLANTS
Add oversized elephant ears to the perennial border for a dramatic focal point. A plant with large green leaves also gives the eye a rest amidst masses of colorful flowers.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Elephant ear plants are poisonous if ingested in large quantities. The plant's leaves and stems contain oxalic acid, which can cause serious illness in children or pets. However, cooking renders the toxins harmless and many cultures have safely eaten them for years (specifically taro root, or Colocasia esculenta ).
1 – Getting Too Heavy
Sometimes it’s going to be mostly unavoidable to see your elephant ears droop a bit. If you do a good job of taking care of them, then the leaves are going to keep growing and they’ll get rather large.
2 – Watering Issues
Watering issues will sometimes make it so that your elephant ears will droop. It’s possible that you might not have paid attention to the elephant ears recently and missed some watering sessions.
3 – Soil Issues
There are times when soil issues might be the cause of the elephant ears drooping. The best type of soil for elephant ears will be organically rich, and you’re going to need it to have good moisture retention as well.
4 – Improper Lighting
As with most plants, you’re going to need to pay attention to the sunlight situation when caring for elephant ears. You want to give these plants the right amount of light that will help them to thrive.
5 – Cold Temperatures
Cold temperatures can also be a big problem when you’re taking care of elephant ear plants. These plants simply don’t do well in the cold, and they’re not capable of surviving outside during the winter months.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned a lot about elephant ear plants now, and it should be easier to fix any problems that you’re experiencing. These plants are big and fun, but you’re going to need to pay attention to them.
What is wrong with my Elephant ear plant?
Yellowing of the foliage is caused by too much sunlight, Overwatering, and Underwatering. Leaf browning is caused by leaf scorch, lack of water, or bacterial infections. Phyllostica leaf spots cause spots on the leaves and also leave behind holes in the foliage.
Why do Elephant ear plants turn yellow?
Do you see yellowing leaves on your Elephant ear plant? This can happen due to different reasons. Let’s look at how to fix such a plant.
Why is my Elephant ear plant turning brown?
The elephant ear plant may turn brown due to a couple of reasons. We shall see what those are and how to fix them.
Why do Elephant ear plants droop?
Does your Elephant ear plant droop? The most common reason for this is the heavy leaves. The weight of the leaf is so high that it droops.
Elephant ear plant with holes
Do you see holes in the leaves of your Elephant ear plant? This can happen in various cases, let’s talk about them one by one.
How to keep bugs from eating my Elephant ears?
Keep checking your plant for any signs of pest infestation. Once you find an early sign of such infestation, act quickly.
My Elephant Ears are Taking Over!
Fans of foliage plants should be well aware of the elephant ear’s charms. This tropical Arum is an excellent choice for pond edges, lightly shaded areas and as screens for hiding unsightly items. These massive plants may grow up to 6 feet (1.8 m.) tall with leaves that span 2 feet (.6 m.) in diameter.
Other Problems with Elephant Ear Plants
The most important criteria for growing Colocasia is well drained, nutrient rich soil. They can tolerate any lighting situation but prefer dappled or partially sunny sites. The huge 4-foot (1.2 m.) tall, thick petioles have quite a job sustaining the large leaves, so some staking may be required.
Running and Clumping Colocasia
Colocasia plant growth forms are something to watch for when purchasing corms. There are both running and clumping forms of elephant ear.
Causes of Elephant Ear Plant Stem Breaking
These plants flourish in rather moist soil because they are found near streams and ponds in nature and are affected by excess watering.
How Do You Fix A Broken Elephant Ear Plant Stem?
When your plant stem breaks, you have to choose between two options that will guarantee your plant’s health. You could either completely remove the broken stem or cut it off and wait for a replacement to grow in several months.
What Do I Do To A Partially Broken Elephant Ear Plant Stem?
A typical elephant ear plant’s stem that breaks but is still attached repair could be treated with the following procedure:
Can I grow an Elephant Ear Plant from stem cuttings?
You cannot propagate the lush green heart-shaped Elephant Ear plants from stem cuttings, but you could divide tubers from a healthy and mature parent plant. Before trying to propagate the plant, there are several steps that you should understand, including:
Light
Alocasia houseplants thrive in bright, indirect light. They can survive with less light, but they won’t grow as well. Don’t put one in a south window with no curtain, though, or the leaves will burn. Likewise, if you bring it outdoors in the summer, be sure to find it a shady spot.
Temperature
Native to the subtropics, alocasia of course prefer things on the warmish side, say 65 to 85 degrees. Keep your plant out of cold drafts and avoid sudden changes in temperature.
Water
Alocasias like to be watered consistently, but they don’t appreciate wet soil. So:
Humidity
While they’re sensitive to too much water in the soil, alocasia leaves do appreciate humidity. Here are some options for increasing the humidity for your alocasia:
Fertilizer
Once a month from spring through fall will do it for fertilizing your alocasia. (Any organic houseplant fertilizer is fine.) Alocasia grow fast in the summer and slow down in the winter, so let them rest then.
Repotting
Repot your plant using a pot that’s just an inch or two bigger than its current pot. And don’t be in a rush to repot your alocasia; it enjoys being just a bit rootbound. Use fresh, well-draining soil.
Tending
All houseplants benefit from being tended regularly. When you water your alocasia, take a minute or two to look it over. Trim off any yellowing leaves and turn the plant to encourage it to grow evenly on all sides. Dust those big leaves once in a while.
1 – Getting Too Heavy
2 – Watering Issues
- Watering issues will sometimes make it so that your elephant ears will droop. It’s possible that you might not have paid attention to the elephant ears recently and missed some watering sessions. Elephant ears need a lot of water when compared to other plants. On average, they’re supposed to receive two or three inches of rainfall each week to thrive. When it’s not raining, you’…
3 – Soil Issues
- There are times when soil issues might be the cause of the elephant ears drooping. The best type of soil for elephant ears will be organically rich, and you’re going to need it to have good moisture retention as well. If you use a thin type of soil that dries out incredibly fast, then your elephant ears aren’t going to do as well. It’s also possibl...
4 – Improper Lighting
- As with most plants, you’re going to need to pay attention to the sunlight situation when caring for elephant ears. You want to give these plants the right amount of light that will help them to thrive. If your elephant ears are drooping currently, then it’s possible that they’re not getting enough sunlight. You might have them in a shady spot where there isn’t enough light getting through. Th…
5 – Cold Temperatures
- Cold temperatures can also be a big problem when you’re taking care of elephant ear plants. These plants simply don’t do well in the cold, and they’re not capable of surviving outside during the winter months. Elephant ear plants enjoy daytime temperatures between 70 degrees Fahrenheit and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. During the nighttime, they’re fine so long as the temperat…
Final Thoughts
- You’ve learned a lot about elephant ear plants now, and it should be easier to fix any problems that you’re experiencing. These plants are big and fun, but you’re going to need to pay attention to them. They do require a lot of water to thrive, and you’re also going to need to feed them the right amount of nutrients. Taking the sunlight requirements into consideration will also be important …