Asked by: Metin Erl
home and garden landscaping

Can elephant ear plants grow inside?

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Upright elephant ears (Alocasia) can be brought indoors and grown as houseplants. Keep the plants in bright, indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist, not wet.


Keeping this in view, can elephant ears be grown indoors?

Elephant ear plants, or Colocasia, are tropical plants grown from tubers or from rooted plants. The plant itself reaches heights of between 3 and 5 feet tall and for this reason is usually grown as an outdoor specimen; however, it is possible to grow elephant ears indoors.

Furthermore, how do you prune an elephant ear plant indoors? Cut back an elephant ear plant two or three days after the first killing frost when the foliage turns brown. Depending on the climate, this can happen anytime from late summer to midwinter. Use a clean rag to wipe down the blades of a pair of sharp pruning shears with rubbing alcohol or a 10 percent bleach solution.

Furthermore, can you grow alocasia indoors?

Tropical plants in the Alocasia genus feature stunning foliage that can become the centerpiece of a garden or room. In the right conditions, they can grow very fast, but they are also sensitive plants. Alocasia grows well in big pots; they can thrive in the summertime and then be brought indoors in the winter.

What is wrong with my elephant ear plant?

The most common elephant ear plant disease is fungal leaf blight. It produces tiny round lesions on the ornamental leaves that may ooze fluid and turn purple or yellow when dry. Pythium rot can cause plants to die. It is most common in areas with too much water and humidity.

Related Question Answers

Laia Castanho

Professional

Do elephant ears like coffee grounds?

I have found that (like previously mentioned) all plants LOVE coffee (roses especially).. So I would try putting small amounts (at first) of coffee grounds around the base of your elephant ears and see if that helps the problem It normally doesnt hurt the plant to do this.

Maruxa Wubbe

Professional

How do you take care of elephant ears in the winter?

Prepare Your Elephant Ears For The Winter
  1. After your first frost, cut the stems to about 6 inches tall.
  2. Put the tubers in a grocery bag, plastic pot or bulb rate and cover with a mix of peat moss and soil.
  3. Add water to the container and store it in a cool, dark place to ensure the tuber stays dormant throughout the winter.

Noemy Kreuzmair

Professional

How do you care for elephant ears indoors?

Upright elephant ears (Alocasia) can be brought indoors and grown as houseplants. Keep the plants in bright, indirect light and keep the soil consistently moist, not wet. To see a video about digging, splitting and storing elephant ear bulbs click HERE.

Takako Luaces

Explainer

Can you propagate elephant ears in water?

Elephant Ear Plant Propagation in Water
Some species, such as the Colocasia esculenta, or taro, can be potted in shallow water. If you do try elephant ear plant propagation in water, mulching can be helpful. Many types grow in swamps and marshes.

Abdelrahman Mejuto

Explainer

How do you propagate elephant ears?

How to Propagate Elephant Ears
  1. Put on waterproof gloves to prevent elephant ear's mildly irritating sap from touching your skin.
  2. Pull the plant's roots apart by hand.
  3. Select a planting location with well-drained soil in partial shade.
  4. Place one tuber in each hole with a bud facing upward.

Gurmeet Aller

Explainer

Are elephant ear plants poisonous to dogs?

Elephant EarElephant ear plants are so named because the leaves resemble the ears of elephants. Fiddle Leaf—Fiddle Leaf is easy to grow, which makes it ideal for use in the home. It is highly toxic to dogs and cats. When ingested, fiddle leaf can cause mouth irritation, vomiting, and difficulty swallowing.

Clora Timmering

Pundit

How often do you water elephant ears?

(Pot fully submerged.) Containers will need to be watered daily during the summer. Plan on giving plants at least 2-3 inches of water per week. Fertilizing: Elephant ears are heavy eaters, as well as drinkers.

Tamisha Groom

Pundit

Why is my elephant ear plant flowering?

Botanically, a spath is a bract (modified leaf) enclosing a spadix (fleshy spike of tiny flowers). If the flowers are pollinated, tiny “berries” will form along the spadix. Save them to plant outdoors in spring. My guess is that older, crowded plants will bloom more often than newly-planted elephant ears.

Arnald Eiras

Pundit

How do you care for alocasia indoors?

Your Alocasia indoor planting should be well lit with bright, but diffuse light. Direct sunlight will burn the leaves. Avoid southern exposures. Fortunately, average household temperatures are sufficient for African mask plants, although they prefer it a bit warmer, about 85 F.

Yurema Inchaurrandieta

Pundit

Should I mist my alocasia?

During warm summer months, an Alocasia can produce a new leaf every week and each new leaf may be twice the size of the previous leaf. Alocasia plants grow best in high humidity. Do not mist the plant; misting encourages plant diseases.

Valerija Ludihuser

Pundit

Can you propagate alocasia in water?

Propagating Alocasia | Water propagation
It's a very decorative way to grow houseplants and they can actually thrive in water pretty much indefinitely with the right care. To grow your Alocasia offset in water, simply clean any soil off its roots and find a container that you like to place it in.

Nathaniel Venkatadri

Teacher

When should I repot alocasia?

Potted alocasia plants will only grow outdoors in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 11, but grow well indoors. These tropical foliage plants require repotting every year or two once they outgrow their pots and become root bound.

Ben Rathjen

Teacher

Does alocasia need sun?

Alocasia tolerates both sun and shade, but it performs best when planted in partially shaded garden beds. A site with full morning sunlight but afternoon shade provides a better location than a bed that receives sunlight all day. Alocasia also require soil that remains moist and doesn't dry out completely.

Hartmut Cachaldora

Teacher

How fast does alocasia grow?

For the size of the foliage, these are some of the fastest growing plants around. Although they are not winter hardy, they will grow and reach its full maturity of around 3-5 feet each summer in a stunning fashion.

Remzi Finteisen

Reviewer

What is indirect sunlight?

Direct sunlight is sunlight that shines onto a plant at full strength, with nothing getting between the sunlight and the plant. Indirect sunlight is sunlight that doesn't shine onto a plant at full strength, but is weakened by something coming between it and the plant.

Gislaine Petrasch

Reviewer

Is alocasia poisonous?

This plant may be nice to look at, but it can be toxic to your dog. In fact, it can even be fatal if not treated right away. Alocasia poisoning is caused by the elephant ear plant, which contains an insoluble calcium oxalate acid.

Honorinda Persiva

Reviewer

Why is my elephant ear plant dripping water?

Watering: Soil should be maintained evenly moist but not saturated. Water when the soil starts to feel a little dry. If your Elephant Ear plant gets too much water, it will let you know by “weeping” or dripping water from the tip of the leaf.

Damia Soleil

Reviewer

Will elephant ears grow from cuttings?

Propagate Elephant Ear Plant
Elephant ears will also grow in up to six inches of standing water. Don't try to propagate elephant ears from cuttings, Instead, when the mother plant has grown into a large clump, dig up and divide the tubers.

Sonata Rosenstern

Supporter

What is the best fertilizer for elephant ears?

Tubers and rooted plants should be planted 2 to 4 inches deep in the potting mix or soil. All elephant ear varieties are considered heavy-feeders, requiring rich, fertile, slightly acidic soil. Fertilize your plants once a month with a slow-release, water-soluble 20-20-20 fertilizer.