With its unmissable mammoth , nub - shaped leaves that raise to width of 3 to 5 feet and stems that can exceed 6 ft , Elephant ear ( Alocasia metallica ) , makes a striking statement in the landscape . Elephant spike is a topical , wet - lie with plant life that prosper in warm , humid conditions . If your elephant pinna plant is outgrow its boundaries , or if you just want to propagate the wealth , transplant elephant ears safely in spring or early summer .
Step 1
select a planting spot for the elephant ear in tad or morning sunshine . set aside raft of space , and call back that the large leaf of elephant ear will shade off any smaller plants below .
Step 2
Cut the leafage down to about 4 in with garden shears . Working 10 to 12 inches from the plant so the roots wo n’t be injured , dig out the elephant ear plant and bring up it from the dirt . If you want to divide the elephant auricle industrial plant , divide the plant into smaller sections with your finger . Be sure each subdivision has a corm , which is a minor bulb that will grow a Modern shoot . Otherwise , the entire plant life can be transplanted without division .
Step 3
delve a hole and establish the elephant ear the same depth that it was planted antecedently . Feed the newly - transplanted elephant ear embed an all - purpose farinaceous fertilizer , applied consort to the directions .
Step 4
Water the elephant ear soundly immediately after planting , and keep the soil moist at all clip . To help retain moisture , disseminate an in of constitutional material around the infrastructure of the elephant capitulum plant .
Transplant Elephant Ears
name for their bombastic , broad leaf , elephant ears ( Colocasia spp . ) Colocasia esculenta , which is hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 10 , is a commonly grown miscellanea of elephant auricle . Elephant ears sprout from tuber in spring and quickly grow into with child , circularize glob . In areas of the United States thatexperience frosts , elephant ears must be transplantedafter the last local intermediate rime date . If late frosts threaten after the plants have been transfer , cover elephant ears with old plane or several layer of newspaper overnight . Asheltered , partly shade spotwithorganically full-bodied , intermediate moisture or wet soilprovides the best grow conditions for transplanted elephant ears . Elephant spike can establish quickly in wide planting hole . Dig a hole as cryptic as an elephant ear ’s root Lucille Ball and twice as all-embracing . If the soil is dampish but not wet , irrigate the plants again .
Tip
If you live in a cold wintertime climate , poke the elephant spike after the first light frost of the time of year , put them in a cardboard loge satisfy with moist peat moss , and store them in a coolheaded , dry place until fountain .
