- Elephant Ears
Botanical name: colocasia
Beginner friendly?: yes
Average size at maturity: up to 8 ft in height with a 2 – 3 ft spread
Bloom time: spring/summer
Hardy zone: 9 – 11
Flower color: green/white/yellow
Foliage color: green
Growth rate: can grow 3 – 4 ft in a single growing season
Pruning instructions: cut back in the winter to protect the leaves from the cold and to prepare to start fresh in the next growing season. You can cut back up to 2 inches off the ground
Propagation methods: cut a stem just below a node and place in water until roots start to emerge
Landscape use: background plants
Light needs: 2 – 6 hours of sun a day
Special features: heart shaped leaves
Watering instructions: weekly watering required
Fertilizing instructions : use 20 – 20 – 20 biweekly during the growing season. Less often is acceptable. Biweekly just promotes the most growth.
Best time to plant: spring or fall
Best type of soil: adapts to all kinds of soil
Companion plants: daylilies, ferns, sweet potato vine
Toxicity level: potentially mildly toxic if ingested
Invasive species: no
