Elephant’s Ear or Taro
Colocasia esculenta (ARACEAE)
Planting and Growing Elephant’s Ear
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow elephant’s ear or taro in the accompanying table’s tabs:
-
- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of elephant’s ear or taro
- Season of bloom and planting time for elephant’s ear or taro
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for elephant’s ear or taro
- When, how deep, and where to plant elephant’s ear or taro
- How to plant elephant’s ear or taro
- Watering, fertilizing, care and pests or diseases of elephant’s ear or taro
- Landscape and indoor uses of elephant’s ear or taro
- Comments about elephant’s ear or taro and its features
- Health and safety warnings about elephant’s ear or taro
Growing Elephant’s Ear
Summer tuber. Evergreen. Stands 3–7 ft. (90–215 cm) tall. Exotic, broad, heart-shaped, long, velvety, blue green leaves, often with contrasting veins.
Elephant's Ear Planting and Care Guide
Flowers
Insignificant flowers; grown for foliage.
Best Climates
U.S.D.A. Plant Hardiness Zones 8–11; ground hardy, zones 8–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
Very moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich. 5.5–6.5 pH
Where and How to Plant
Late spring in partial shade. Space 2 ft. (60 cm) apart, 2–3 in. (50–75 mm) deep.
Proper Care
Moderate. Keep very moist spring–summer. Fertilize monthly. Mulch. Propagate by offsets.
Lifting and Storing
Dark, 50–60°F (10–16°C), in net bag or open basket of dry peat moss.
About This Species
Good choice for accents, beds, borders in tropical gardens and landscapes. Deer, rodent resistant.
Cooked, the roots of elephant’s ear are edible staples of Pacific-Islander cuisine—baked or boiled taro and poi—a boiled and mashed, slightly sour paste often mixed with plantains or pineapple.
Warning:
Foliage and roots of Colocasia esculenta are hazardous if eaten raw. Avoid planting in areas frequented by children or pets.