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ELEPHANT EARS – ALOCASIA AND COLOCASIA
Alocasia
Alocasia and Colocasia, better known as elephant ears, are impressive plants with dramatic foliage. The huge leaves can measure up to 2 feet across and the foliage color ranges from lime green to almost black. Upright elephant ears (Alocasia) have shiny leaves with raised veins and often display colorful variegations. They can be grown indoors as well as out. Colocasia, or Taro, has a more spreading habit, their leaves typically have a velvety surface texture and veins are not raised.
Because of bad advice, many think these plants are not hardy here in north Texas. Some publications and some people say that they are only perennial in hardiness zones are 10-11 and recommend digging and storing the bulbs inside in winter. I don’t agree at all. They are much tougher than that.
Colocasia
The Colocasia elephant ears along the banks of Turtle Creek in Dallas have been perennial and doing well there since way before the harsh freezing of the ’83-’84 winter. My Alocasias have been in the ground outside for well over 10 years. Of course mine have been under an organic program and that adds about a zone of hardiness for all plants.
These perennials should be used in shade or filtered sun. They need loose, moist highly organic soil for best results. Telling the two apart tricked me for a while, but now I have an easy way to remember. The leaves of Alocasia stand up dramatically erect. They resemble “As” and that’s how I remember the difference between this plant and Colocasia that conveniently has an arching ”C” shape. The shininess of Alocasia is also an easy feature difference to remember.
They both do die back in the winter, like most perennials, but the management is quite easy. Elephant ears, bananas, Hoja santa and other large leaf perennials should be cut off after hard freeze damage leaving 2-3" stumps. Then cover the stumps with shredded mulch. Unless the roots stay too wet during the winter from frequent rains or poor drainage, the plants will be back next spring to once again put on a show. Some gardeners put a piece of old carpet over the stumps and the mulch on top of that if they are concerned about the moisture rotting the crown of the plants. I don’t do that.
These two plants have strong, big textures so be careful about where they are planted, but they are definitely worth a try.
Here are links to more information about these interesting plants.
Alocasia - https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Alocasia_vq13082.htm
Colocasia - https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Colocasia_vq13083.htm
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Dallas Morning News - September 7, 2017
ELEPHANT EARS – ALOCASIA AND COLOCASIA
Both hardy in North Texas
Alocasia
Alocasia and Colocasia, better known as elephant ears, are impressive plants with dramatic foliage. The huge leaves can measure up to 2 feet across and the foliage color ranges from lime green to almost black. Upright elephant ears (Alocasia) have shiny leaves with raised veins and often display colorful variegations. They can be grown indoors as well as out. Colocasia, or Taro, has a more spreading habit, their leaves typically have a velvety surface texture and veins are not raised.
Because of bad advice, many think these plants are not hardy here in north Texas. Some publications and some people say that they are only perennial in hardiness zones are 10-11 and recommend digging and storing the bulbs inside in winter. I don’t agree at all. They are much tougher than that.
Colocasia
The Colocasia elephant ears along the banks of Turtle Creek in Dallas have been perennial and doing well there since way before the harsh freezing of the ’83-’84 winter. My Alocasias have been in the ground outside for well over 10 years. Of course mine have been under an organic program and that adds about a zone of hardiness for all plants.
These perennials should be used in shade or filtered sun. They need loose, moist highly organic soil for best results. Telling the two apart tricked me for a while, but now I have an easy way to remember. The leaves of Alocasia stand up dramatically erect. They resemble “As” and that’s how I remember the difference between this plant and Colocasia that conveniently has an arching ”C” shape. The shininess of Alocasia is also an easy feature difference to remember.
They both do die back in the winter, like most perennials, but the management is quite easy. Elephant ears, bananas, Hoja santa and other large leaf perennials should be cut off after hard freeze damage leaving 2-3" stumps. Then cover the stumps with shredded mulch. Unless the roots stay too wet during the winter from frequent rains or poor drainage, the plants will be back next spring to once again put on a show. Some gardeners put a piece of old carpet over the stumps and the mulch on top of that if they are concerned about the moisture rotting the crown of the plants. I don’t do that.
These two plants have strong, big textures so be careful about where they are planted, but they are definitely worth a try.
Here are links to more information about these interesting plants.
Alocasia - https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Alocasia_vq13082.htm
Colocasia - https://www.dirtdoctor.com/garden/Colocasia_vq13083.htm
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