Elephant Ear Bulb Sprout

Elephant ear plants grow from a swollen stem similar to a bulb but known as a corm.

Elephant ear bulb sprout.

How to plant elephant ear tubers. In fact elephant ears are an important food source in warm climates around the world. Move the plant to a room with indirect lighting after the sprout appears. The elephant ear colocasia is a tropical plant that grows up to 9 feet 2 7 m tall and sprouts large arrow shaped leaves that resemble the ears on an elephant.

If you grow your elephant ear parent plant outdoors in the ground and the temperature drops below 40 f 4 c where you live dig them up in the fall and store the bulbs indoors during the winter. Elephant ear plants grow from either thick tuberous roots or underground stems called rhizomes depending on the variety. They are herbaceous perennials in warm climates. Upright elephant ears are called alocasias whereas elephant ears that go dormant are called colocasias.

After you plant an elephant ear bulb in temps from 60 degrees to 85 degrees how long does it take for the shoots to start coming up. Care for them properly with frequent watering and fertilizing to watch them flourish. Plant elephant ear bulbs outside after all danger of frost has passed and daytime temperatures remain above 70 degrees elephant ears are tropical plants and cannot tolerate any frost they only emerge when the soil is warm. Both have bulbs though the more accurate term is a corm.

Prepare the bed for elephant ears by turning the soil. Elephant ears cannot survive winter outdoors. Elephant ear bulbs create a dramatic whimsical look both planted in the garden and in containers. Therefore in areas with harsh cold winters like those in northernmost regions the plants must be dug up and stored indoors.

Use the amount recommended by the manufacturer. Cut the foliage back to about a couple of inches after the first frost in your area and then carefully dig up the plants. Once planted these plants grow fairly quickly and can double or even triple in size if they are taken care of properly. Freezing temperatures kill foliage and damage tubers.

The elephant ear does best in semi shady locations. This bulb is extremely easy to grow and ideal for containers. This is our first time growing one and i don t know how long to wait before i start to worry that it won t grow. Alocasia odora learn more hawaiian punch elephant ears is a gorgeous cultivar.

Huge unique foliage is beautiful on its own or planted as a backdrop for your favorite blooms. Since you ll already be digging up your plant this is a great time to separate the new tubers. Select a location in full sun or part sun with a good rich moist organic soil. The plants get their name from their leaves which.

Fertilize the plant with a slow release fertilizer worked into the top 2 inches of soil. To grow these stunning plants plant the bulbs in the early spring with the right soil conditions.