The Unique Nature of Elephant Ear Plant and How to Grow One

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If you want to have an impressive plant, you may want to consider the elephant ear plant. This type of plant is more known for its huge leaves than the flowers. The plant is unique and its has its own charm. So, what should you know about it before you decide to have one?

About Elephant Ear Plant

This colocasia plant is basically a tropical perennial plant that has several species within the genera: Xanthosoma, Alocasia, and Colocasia. The most common and popular one is Colocasia Esculenta or Taro. These plants grow quite fast. In just two months, they will reach their full size. If you want to have one, you need to start planting in the spring. Just be sure that you do it after winter. The soil needs to be ‘warm’ or at least reaching around 70 degrees of Fahrenheit. Planting this plant in the early summer is also possible.

Elephant ears are basically the exotic and dramatic plants having big heart-shaped leaves. These kinds of plants are often used as accent plants. They are also featured in bog gardens or tropical themed water. The leaves can go up to 3 feet in length and 2 feet in width, especially in the tropics setting. This plant is smaller in colder areas and climates, but their leaves are still bigger when compared to other plants. Colocasia Esculenta are pretty invasive when left out in tropical regions, but you need to be careful as they are poisonous to humans and also animals.

Knowing some of elephant ear plant types can be helpful if you want to dig further into the details of each species. But in general, such plant requires the standard care. First of all, the plant needs loamy and fertile soil, with a tad acidic content. It should be partially shaded too. The plant is a native wetland plant, so it basically loves water. If you want to place the elephant ear plant in wet areas, it would be perfect because most plants dislike wet areas. Some varieties of this plant are more perfect for bigger containers.

Growing One

Because the plant originates from tropical area, the soil should be warm enough when you plant it. The plant can be grown from the corm or from the (tuberous) roots. When it begins to sprout, it only needs little tending. When it is dry, just be sure that it is well-watered. Don’t forget to ‘feed’ it regularly with nitrogen-rich fertilizer.

A bit of a warning here: As it was mentioned before, elephant ear plant is pretty invasive, especially in America, such as in South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and California. It invades swamps, streams, blackwater, and wetlands while at the same time stifles the native plants by robbing them of nutrients, water, and sun.

The Crucial Elements

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