http://xrl.us/odz8 These are consolidated pictures of my experience growing my first Elephant Ear. Why grow it anyway? This plant is rare in Zone 5 and is an eye-catching plant in the home garden. 23 July 2006. http://xrl.us/pbr4 Some leaves damaged by bugs and weather were removed. The plant is thriving. http://xrl.us/pt3z 30 July 2006. Elephant Ear (Colocasia Esculentum) Growing well. Neena is admiring the plant lying on the picnic table. How does it compare with Loxodonta africana? http://xrl.us/pug6 You be the judge. http://xrl.us/q39h 22 August 2006. Elephant ear after about 110 days growth. One pictures has measurements. The leaves are about 22 by 32 inches, and the plant is about 56 inches high. The plant attracts much attention, since they are not to common in my area. The rebar stake in the photos is four feet in length. http://xrl.us/rnae 8 Sptember 2006 Elephant Ears are still growing and very attractive. This plants gets much attention from visitors. For over-wintering 2006/2007 I dug up the roots, which were very large about a 2 foot diameter sphere. I planted a part deep in the ground below the frost line and covered with mulch, and made two pots of the remainder. Both pots are growing in the house quite well. One is about four feet tall ( March 2007) with three large leaves. I am hoping the one in the ground will survive. For fertilizer, I added a little Urea (Nitrogen) once during the summer, but the source of food is mostly compost, and I always watered it extensively about every other day.
Thanks so much for all your info on Elephant Ear. I just got a bulb as a birthday gift yesterday and was searching for info on how to plant it when I found your thread. Best info I found anywhere! I live in zone 5 too. I'm starting it in a pot today. Thanks again! Loribeth
I just ran across this thread while doing some research. The correct scientific name of this plant is Colocasia esculenta, not "esculentum". This species has at least 68 scientific synonym names and it appears someone has tried to combine portions of an older scientific name (Colocasia esculentum) with the current genus to come up with this spelling. You can verify the correct spelling on either TROPICOs which is a service of the Missouri Botanical Garden http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/vast.html or the International Plant Names Index (IPNI) http://www.ipni.org/index.html Here is more detailed information: http://www.exoticrainforest.com/Colo...arge pc.html
The correct scientific name of this plant is Colocasia esculenta. My effort by planting deep and mulching heavily failed in the overwintering experiment 2006/2007. It was a very wet Fall season, and I suppose the frost went deeper than normal. It is probably asking too much for Zone 5. Better luck not time, I guess.
Durgan, Aye you planting another one this year at all? This last one you planted did so well, from the pictures on your site
I might plant another. The 2007 plants (2) did not do as well as my 2006 effort, probably because I was absent for three weeks in August, and didn't water it sufficiently. Apparently they like plenty of water. Actually, I want a different coloured elephant ear, but so far only the one shown is available in the local garden supply houses.
