Elephant Ear
Colocasia esculenta
Elephant Ear is a bulb for focal point, suited to full sun to partial shade and loam or moist ground, flowering varies by climate.
| Type | Bulb |
|---|---|
| Mature height | 150 cm |
| Spread | 120 cm |
| Aspect | full sun to partial shade |
| Foliage | Deciduous |
| Hardiness | USDA 8a-11a |
| Pollinator-friendly | No |
| Pet-safe | No |
Where to use it in a border
At around 150 cm, it sits best toward the back of a border, or on its own as a focal point with room around it. Give it about 120 cm of room to spread. It is hardy across USDA zones 8a to 11a, so check it suits your area before planting.
It appears in our lists of full sun, wet soil.
Border Builder uses Elephant Ear's height, spread, soil, bloom months and companions to place it in a full border plan for your own conditions, on iPhone and iPad.
Flowering through the year
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Worth knowing
- It copes with ground that stays wet, which most border plants will not.
- Not recorded as pet-safe; site it away from pets that graze if that matters to you.
Good companions
Plants that share its conditions and style, chosen to complement its place in the border:
- Aucuba 'Gold Dust'to flower when it does not
- Calla Lilyto edge in front
- Coleusto edge in front
- Coral Bells 'Caramel'to edge in front
- Corkscrew Rushto edge in front
- Abelia 'Kaleidoscope'to edge in front