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Winterize elephant ear

18 Comments on Winterize elephant ear»

1. I have an enormous elephant ear plant. The leaves are 3 feet by 6 feet and there are 12 of them. I did the recommended winterizing proceedure last year successfully. The plant is too big to do that now. Is there any way I can winterize it in place such as, a thick layer of mulch with heat tracing, or something else? I live in south New Jersey.

   Elephant ear is a frost tender plant and will not tolerate a freeze. Mulching would only protect the tubers and not the leaves. A greenhouse would be nice. If you have room, bring it indoors and treat it as a houseplant. Give it a southern exposure, high humidity and don’t let the soil dry out. If it continues to produce leaves, fertilize with liquid fertilizer 1/2 dose. Another way, is to store the container in a heated garage. Insulate/wrap the pot and mulch on top after the leaves all die.

   Comment by Monty — 9/6/2006 @ 6:14 am

2. I live in nc. i have a 3-4 ft tall elephant ear..some leaves are starting to turn brown, but then others are very green..what do i need to do before it starts to frost? do i need to cut the plant or let it die back?

   You can do one of two things 1. Allow the tops to die back from a very light frost 2. Let them go dormant by reducing water and “drying” them down in a container. Store the roots in a cool dry place till spring.opic: Winterize elephant ear

   Comment by Breanna — 9/6/2006 @ 6:42 am

3. I am somewhat new to this gardening thing. Can someone please tell me when is the best time to dig up my caladiums and how to store them? And…when to replant them? Thanks.

   Dig up your caladiums right after the first frost. Shake off excess soil and let them dry off. Mark your bulbs and store in temperatures between 40-50 degrees in a ventilated container with peat moss, sand, or shredded newspaper. Check periodically for any decaying tubers. Replant in the spring after danger of frost has passed. Kris

   Comment by Gayle — 9/6/2006 @ 6:47 am

4. I live in North Alabama and we are expecting our first frost within the next two weeks. I have one elephant ear plant with about 12 leaves each about 4 - 6 ft long. I dont plan on digging up the bulb, my question is, what is the best method to protect the bulb over the winter while it is still in the ground?
   Thanks Barry

   Some Alocasia are hardy in zone 9-10. After the frost kills off the top of the plant and the ground starts to freeze, mulch the tuber with 4-6 inches of straw, pine needles etc. This should keep it through the winter.

   Comment by Barry — 10/7/2006 @ 6:34 am

5. I LIVE IN PENNA. LAST YEAR I PURCHASED 2 BULBS. I DUG THEM UP TOWARD THE END OF THE SEASON AND REPLANTED THEM THIS YEAR. LAST YEAR THE BULBS LOOKED THE SAME AS WHEN I BOUGHT THEM. THIS YEAR, THE LEAVES WERE SO BIG AND BEAUTIFUL.WHEN I DUG THEM UP,
   I HAD A FEW TUBULAR GROWTHS, AND THE BULBS WERE AT THE END OF THE STALK. I HAD A WHOLE LOT OF ROOTS.
   MY QUESTION IS: WILL THE BULBS AT THE END OF THE STALKS GROW NEXT YEAR?

   Yes, the tubers should produce new plants. Since you had such a good growing season, the plant produced additional tubers. Good for you.

   Comment by TRICIA — 10/30/2006 @ 7:07 am

6. My question is not for winterizing but for spring planting. I live on Vancouver Island zone 8. I have planted a large Alocasia bulb in a pot and have it inside until it warms up. The top of the bulb was green and now it is turning brown. Is this the norm…help..please

   If the tuber is firm, without soft spots or wirnkled, then it should be fine. Hopefully, you didn’t overwater it as that would indicate that the bulb was starting to rot.

   Comment by Pamela — 4/19/2007 @ 11:02 am

7. Good morning. I have a 19′ by 18′ solarium. I planted my first Elephant Ear Plant in a container and it seems to be doing well. I notice on the back of all the leaves are these tiny olive color objects about the size of a pen point. They don’t move and when you touch them they smear. Ants seem to be attracted to them. What are they and can I lighty spray the back with an insecticide.
   Thanks

   It sounds as if you have aphids, soft bodied, oval to pear shape insect that sucks on the plant juices. They can cause curling and distorted leaves Ants are attracted to the honeydew they produce. A good water spray will wash them off the plant, do it at least 3 times or if that doesn’t work use insecticidal soap every 3-5 days for two weeks.

   Comment by Ronald M. Proffitt — 5/10/2007 @ 4:21 am

8. How do you care for elephant ear plant in pot that is already growing? I have it in semi-shaded area on my deck but leaves turn brown and I cut them back. Should I bring it in and treat as houseplant? I live in Cincinnati, OH
   Thank You

   Alocasia should grow well outdoors because the like warm, humid conditions and partial shade. They also need plenty of water with good drainage and are heavy feeders therefore fertilize them every 2 weeks. Check the watering either too much or too little. Make some watering adjustments and leave it outdoors. You can enjoy it as a houseplant in the winter.

   Comment by Cindy — 6/15/2007 @ 1:44 pm

9. I dug up and brought in my elephant ear bulb before the first frost. I planted the bulbs in large planters indoors and they began to grow indoors all winter long. However, I began to notice small specks all over the leaves that did not appear to move. I then noticed that my rug became very hard and sticky in spots. These specks also spread to some of my house plants that were in the same room as the elephant ears. Were these aphids and have you ever heard of this happening before? I’ve since replanted my elephants outdoors and they’re doing great. But how do I get rid of these sticky pests on my houseplants? I would greatly appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

   It sounds like you may have scale. They can be difficult to get rid of. For treatment see the scale article

   Comment by Angela — 6/29/2007 @ 10:33 am

10. I have several Elephant Ears in pots, they are second year bulbs. One of them has a yellow flower it is a long yellow flower not opened yet, is this normal?

    Not everyone is lucky enough to get it to bloom. Yours is happy and healthy and mature enough to bloom. The flower is yellow with a strong fragrance and looks similar to a large peace lily flower.

    Comment by Carolene Coleman — 9/21/2007 @ 11:41 am

11. In the Fall of 2006, a friend gave me a number of Elephant Ear bulbs. I placed them in an unused(not plugged in) freezer in our basement. I forgot about them until today.(09/29/07) The bulbs are very firm and each has about a one-half inch of growth which is pinkish green in color and also nice and firm. Can I wait to plant these in the Spring of 2008, or is there something else I should do?
    Ed Binch
    guayobanca@yahoo.com

    I would plant them and keep them as houseplants through the winter, then place them outdoors in the spring.

    Comment by Edward A. Binch — 9/29/2007 @ 8:15 pm

12. This web site is a wonderful fist full of information for those of us that Grow this huge Creatures in our Yards. I have two of them and they are so cool and the compliments you get from people on how big they are are Great……..
    But now since I found this web site I now know how to maintain them thru out the Winter, So wish me luck on continuing the growth of this huge Creatures…..

    Comment by Claudia — 11/2/2007 @ 1:30 pm

13. I live in Atlanta Ga and we have already had our first frost. The leaves on my Elephant Ears (planted outdoors) are now brown. My question is: Do I cut the leaves and stalks down to the ground? I’ve read in several different places that the bulbs don’t have to be dug up in the region that I live in??
    Any advice would be appreciated!!!
    Tom

    After the frost kills off the top of the plant, cut it down. When the ground starts to freeze, mulch the tuber with 6 -12 inches of straw, pine needles (no leaves)etc. The mulch should protect it through the winter. They are hardy in zone 9-10.

    Comment by Tom Reynolds — 11/3/2007 @ 9:32 am

14. This past spring, I planted an elephant ear bulb and enjoyed a summer of hugh and beautiful leaves in a space about 2-3 feet square (from one bulb). I have just dug into this grouping after one night of about 32 degreee temps and have not found any bulbs - just thick stems with many curly white roots about 6 inches long coming out of the stems. What happened to my bulb and what should I do with the white stem and roots now?? I have presently stored them in my basement covered with soil and dry leaves. Help!!

    Sometimes elephant ear will form a bulb (tuberlike structure) and other times it will just produce a tuber-like roots with a stem. Save the stems and replant them next year. Keep the roots in peat or light soil and check on it occasionaly to make sure the tubers don’t shrivel up.

    Comment by Sandra Gilbert — 11/12/2007 @ 9:48 am

15. i live in central alabama, i have huge elephant ears, when you have had the first frost and the leaves are turning brown, do you cut the stalks back some or do you cut them down to the ground? my plants are almost 6 foot tall. thanks so much.

    You can cut off the whole stalk. It should come back next spring when the weather warms up.

    Comment by jennifer — 11/20/2007 @ 6:47 pm

16. I have 6 beautiful elephant ears around my pool in australia and we get 40+ deg Celsius here in summer.
    My plants are well watered and fed they are also protected from full sun getting 90% heat and 25% UV. They have flowered well (about 4 per pot) I would like to know what to do with the flowers? Should I trim the stalks back or leave them to wilt as they are healthy stems and look like the plant is using a lot of energy to keep them solid and upright.

    Cut back the flowers when they are done blooming. Leave part of the stalk, to die back naturally, it will add nutrients to the tuberous bulb. If you leave the flowers, they may get pollinated and start to produce seeds which will take a lot of energy out of the plant.

    Comment by Bryce Regnier — 1/3/2008 @ 1:41 am

17. I just checked on my winterized elephant ear bulbs and tubers. The tubers are in good shape but the top of the bulb, not the bulb itself where the roots come out, is shriveled. Should I do something to fix it? How do I tell if the bulbs are viable? Thanks!

    You can get a little shriveling due to lack of moisture. As long as the bulb is firm (that’s where are the nutrients are), it should be ok. The best thing you can do is plant them, give them warm temperatures and water.

    Comment by Kelly — 3/14/2008 @ 1:32 pm

18. Hi, after reading some of the comments on the Elephant Ear plant, I wouild like to add. We live in Southern New Jersey and while this was our first time caring for this plant in the winter and having no knowledge other than knowing it would not take our winters, we brought it in and replanted in a larger container. It has doubled in size, kept mainly dry and not sure what part of our room, southerly, northerly, whatever side the plant is on but seriously, it is gigantic. We had given it general plant food along with the other plants we had to bring in maybe once or twice this winter but no special treatment. Now, we have to get another larger planter for the base. Sometimes a little too much care and fuss really doesn’t matter.

    You’re absolutely right! Thanks for the comment.

    Comment by Michele DiDario — 3/29/2008 @ 6:00 am

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