How to Grow Elephant Ears or Taro

Elephant ears or taros (Colocasia esculenta) are tropical plants and they need warm, moist conditions to grow. The elephant ear plants are hardy in zones 8 through 11 as a returning perennial. In tropical climates, elephant ears grow as an evergreen perennial. Elsewhere, or in zones below 8, people grow elephant ears as a house plant. The leaves are large and heart-shaped, resembling an elephant’s ear. Each leaf can grow 2 to 3 feet long and 1 to 2 feet wide.

Things You'll Need

• Fertilizer
• Mister
• Humidifier
• Screen
• Container
• Peat moss or vermiculite

Instructions

Grown as a House Plant

1. Feed the elephant ears every week while actively growing during the summer months with a liquid fertilizer. Choose a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen. During the winter months, cut the amount of fertilizer in half. Mix according to label directions.

2. Bring the plant indoors before the frost.

3. Place the pot in a south facing window. Elephant ears need ample light to grow well.

4. Water the elephant ear to keep the soil moist.

5. Mist the elephant ears on a daily basis. If you have a humidifier, place it near that to boost the humidity.

6. Take the elephant ear outside gradually after the last frost to harden it off. Over the course of a week, take the plant outdoors. Place it in a bright location for an hour but not in direct sunlight. The next day, leave it outdoors for two hours and keep building on the outside hours to harden the plant off. If you grow elephant ears in the ground and want it to go dormant over the winter, proceed to the next section.

Fall Storage

1. Carefully dig the tubers out of the ground. Do not remove the foliage.

2. Place the tubers on a screen in an area protected from frost. Allow the tubers to dry for one to three days. Also, choose a place away from direct sunlight and drying winds.

3. Pack the tubers in peat moss or vermiculite.

4. Place the container in a place where the temperature stays 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Check tubers occasionally. Remove any that are rotting or damaged. Plant when all danger of frost is over in the spring.

Tips & Warnings

• Although people use elephant ears for cooking, if you eat any part of this plant before cooking, it can cause a stomachache.

References

• University of Minnesota Extension: Elephant Ear
• Gardening Channel: Growing Elephant Ear Plants
• Floridata: Colocasia Esculenta