What are the plants that look like elephant ears? You may find it surprising that there are plants having big leaves and quite big size – just like elephant ears. Not all people like flowery plants. Some of them prefer leafy plants because of their own charm and appeal.
About Elephant Ears
This plant has oversized and big leaves, often with the shape of a heart. This plant is commonly included in the genus Alocasia and Colocasia, having its own characteristics. Many of today’s breeds belong to Colocasia, and they have various interesting variations, such as the black foliage (Colocasia Esculenta) Diamond Head or the Mojito.
The tubers can grow fast, reaching 3 feet to 5 feet (in height). This plant loves the sun, but not directly. So avoid direct exposure or heavy shade. Partial shade would be the most ideal. Some of them have unique and interesting shade, such as the Diamond Head or (Setcreasea Pallida) Purple Heart.
If you can manage your landscape quite well, you will notice that different types of elephant ear plants would be great, especially from the visual perspective. There were several examples of elephant ears in Georgian houses. They are put in the containers and they provide impressive look against the house as the background.
Read: Common Indoor Elephant Ear Plant Problems and How to Solve Them
Some of the best options include Colocasia Esculenta Black Magic and Alocasia Calidora. If you want to put the plant in containers, make sure that the containers are big and deep. You don’t necessarily have to plant it in the soil or the garden. The same principle also applies to flowers that look like elephant ears.
What Plants Looking Similar to Elephant Ears?
When it comes to plants that look like elephant ears, some of the plant’s genus are often categorized into this section. What are they?
Caladiums
Elephant ears and Caladiums have the same leaf shape: the elongated heart form. But when compared to elephant ears, Caladiums have more color and more delicate variety with smaller forms too. The size may not be as big as elephant ears, but it has saturated fuchsia and red foliage. You can say that it has a type of ‘color explosion’. It has other cultivars with its own characteristics. White Christmas, for instance, has cooler palate that combines purple, black, and silver hues. Caladiums grow well under shady porch or overhang, shielding it from the afternoon sun.
Alocasia
This genus has around 70 species growing as tropical herbs. They usually have big leaves shaping like elephant ears or big arrowheads. Alocasia Macrorrhizos (or Giant Taro) is one of the plants that resemble elephant ears. This one is able to grow quite tall, reaching 12 feet at least, and 15 feet in maximum manner. The blades of the leaf can range from size 2 to 5 feet; both in width and length. Another similar plant is Alocasia Plumbea or Metallic Taro, which its own distinctive industrial look. It has smaller leaves with bronze or dark glossy green color.
Basically, the Araceae family has more than 1,800 species – many of which share similar look to elephant ears. In the meanwhile, there are more than seventy different species within Alocasia genus growing as tropical herbs.
Colocasia
This is another option for plants that are similar to elephant ears. This plant is often grown in wet and warm soils. One of the best environment would be close (or even in) the ornamental pond. In some tropical regions, the plant can turn into invasive weeds because their roots are spread easily. Colocasia only has several species, and one of them is Colocasia Esculenta or the Wild Taro.
