Gardeners from Syracuse to St. Paul have developed a taste for the tropics. Garden centers are answering the demand with more and more long-term heat-lovers like gingers, canna, bird of paradise, and of course, elephant ears. Adding a few of these leafy marvels can make a big statement in your garden. Use elephant ears for mid-summer foliage because they perfectly fit late July’s heat and humidity. They will fill the time period when blooming annuals are taking a breather and the mums and asters are gearing up for their fall show.

The term, ‘elephant ears’ is a umbrella under which literally thousands of plants with leaves shaped like elephant ears may fit. You can, of course, refer to them by that term, but it’s best to know their real names. This article focuses on three plants: Alocasia, Colocasia and Xanthosoma. All originated in jungle climates, so they love heat and humidity. These conditions are becoming more common in many parts of the U.S.A. All three plants are members of the Aroid family along with Callas and Philodendron.

Alocasia and Colocasia are naturally found in tropical parts of Asia. Hybridizers have been selecting and crossing these species resulting in varieties with leaves that are variegated and with ruffled edges. These hybrids can either be compact or giant in stature.

My favorite elephant ears variety is Colocasia

The easiest to find elephant ears at most garden centers is Colocasia (pronounced kol-uh-KAY-zee-uh). It’s been used for thousands of years for its edible fleshy root. Patience is a most important virtue if you start the plant from a root. After planting, it can take anywhere from two to eight weeks to sprout, depending on light and warmth. Luckily, you can find it already growing at garden centers, even as late as July.

I planted my first Colocasia plant in the ground. I selected a spot where it received sun from morning until just after noon. It was a spindly-stemmed plant with wimpy leaves in early June. By late July it became a four-foot mass of gorgeous bright green. The variety was ‘Elena’, which is touted as a more winter hardy alternative to Xanthosoma ‘Lime Zinger’.

You can grow colocasia indoors or outdoors

Another variety I never tire of is Colocasia ‘Mojito’. Its bright green leaves are unevenly speckled with a purple so deep it almost looks black. Leaves typically grow about 18” long by 10” wide. The plant tops out around three feet tall. While the fashion police might cringe, I can’t resist pairing it with Coleus ‘Fishnet Stockings’.  That’s a foliage plant with the same bright green and purple as the leaves on the Colocasia.

Colocasia Mojito with Coleus Fishnet Stockings – Photo by Jean Starr

I received a Colocasia start in March from Brian’s Botanicals.  I grew it indoors before using it in a mixed container outdoors. At the time, it sported a few spindly leaves. But, after a spell of really hot weather, Colocasia ‘Red-Eyed Gecko’ suddenly had 13 healthy leaves. To bring out the pink stem and leaf attachment color, I combined it with a deep pink kangaroo paw (Anigozanthos). Either way, indoors or outdoors, use elephant ears for mid-summer foliage.

Colocasia with Kangaroo Paw – Photo by Jean Starr

Sometimes opposites can coexist

Kangaroo paw is native to Australia and likes well-drained soil. Colocasias are known for their thirst during the growing season. I mixed the two plants with a fancy-leaf geranium, which like the kangaroo paw, prefers it somewhat dry. Next, I placed the container on top of a low concrete wall that tends to bake in the late afternoon sun. I wasn’t sure what would happen to a combination that included a moisture-lover and two that preferred its soil on the dry side.

After a pretty rough start, all was well in the pot from July through September. Each leaf was a work of art, especially when held up to the sun. ‘Red-Eyed Gecko’ was the first Colocasia I overwintered inside. After nearly killing it with kindness, I put it off in a dark corner and left it alone until around March. That’s when it started showing growth. I’m growing it outside again, this time with more suitable companions.

More varieties of elephant ears

If you like chartreuse leaves with more delicate striations of darker green, try Colocasia ‘Midori Sour’, another gorgeous plant that fills out by the end of July in my Zone 6A garden.

In addition to plants with chartreuse leaves, there are many selections whose leaves are variegated, blotched, strikingly-veined (like ‘Blue Hawaii’) and ruffled. They can range in size from the 54-inch ‘Coal Miner’ to the diminutive ‘Dark Shadows’, which grows just eight inches tall.  If you prefer the dark and brooding type, try varieties with deep purple leaves like Colocasia‘ Black Ruffles’, and ‘Diamondhead’.

Colocasia ‘Distant Memory’, was introduced by Walter’s Gardens. What’s more, it donates a portion of profits from sale of this plant to Alzheimer’s research.

Alocasia

In the world of Alocasia (pronounced alo-CAY-zee-uh), one of my favorites has been the hybrid Alocasia Amazonica. It is also known as African mask plant. It’s often sold as a houseplant, but I have had good success growing it outdoors in the summer. Alocasia is not a fast grower, but it loves bright light areas. You can find the light needed most likely on the north side of the house. Its shiny black leaves are striking with its silvery veins.

A plant with some of the most substantial leaves is Alocasia ‘California’. Its bright green, scalloped leaves are stiff enough to use for a platter. Of course, I mixed this with other plants in a container, and it held its own with a strong growing Coleus and geranium.

Alocasia Californa – Photo by Jean Starr

One of the more unusual, and I guess you could say, delicate, is Alocasia ‘Sarian’. Leaves are glossy and arrow-shaped with pale veins. They point upward on speckled stems that add to this plant’s charm. Next time I plant ‘Sarian’, I’ll combine it with trailing plants, possibly something with pale yellow and deep green leaves.

Xanthosoma

Xanthosoma (Pronounced zan-tho-SO-muh) is a relative of Alocasia and Colocasia. It is native to tropical America, and is also used as a food crop in many countries. This year I’m growing the hybrid, Xanthosoma ‘Lime Zinger’, a plant with substantial bright green leaves that deserve a closer look. This variety has waxy leaves that form a shallow bowl, with edges that are almost ruffled. I combined it with two variegated plants: Euphorbia ‘Yokoi’s White’ and a variegated artillery plant (Pilea microphylla variegata).

Xanthosoma – Lime Zinger – Photo by Jean Starr

One of the strangest species of Xanthosoma (albo marginata) is called ‘Mickey Mouse.’ Planting this novelty in your garden will guarantee neighbors will be scratching their heads. It has huge, green and cream leaves. They form little pockets at the leaf tips.

Final tips for Growing Elephant Ears:

Even the Midwest has days that give us tropical temperatures and humidity. Why not stretch that into a tropical vibe, with Alocasia, Colocasia or Xanthosoma? It will make those sweltering days easier to take, because you know these jungle plants grow bigger and better with more heat, water and fertilizer.

Fertilizer: use a general purpose food with a high nitrogen content.

Water: most ‘elephant ears’ prefer lots of water, but keep in mind that the more you water, the more you’ll dilute the fertilizer, so you’ll have to feed more often.

Heat: during late spring and early summer, it pays to use a heat mat and a good light to get them growing.

More information to use elephant ears for mid-summer foliage:

Visit a very detailed blog post by Plant Delights Nursery.

Read Encyclopedia of Exotic Plants for Temperate Climatesby Will Giles

Read Foliageby Nancy J. Ondra