Elephant's Ear (Alocasia)
Elephant's Ear
Common Name: Elephant's Ear
Botanical Name: Alocasia
Elephant's Ear is an exotic house plant with striking foliage.
Thick, upright stems carry arrow-shaped leaves with scalloped edges. Bold silver-green veins make a dramatic pattern on glossy, dark-green leaves.
Alocasias grow from rhizomes, which can be divided in spring for more plants. Each rhizome produces several leaves that grow to 1 ft (30) long, making Elephant's Ear a sassy, new accent for your home.
Just like other members of the Araceae family, its flowers are composed of a spadix surrounded by a spathe. On this plant, however, they are insignificant. It's the spectacular foliage that makes this tropical native well worth growing.
Few indoor plants are as eye-catching as this one. Even young alocasias stand out, but will soon reach 2 ft (60 cm) tall or more.
Set alocasia in a bright location and keep it warm all year. With good care, you'll enjoy this exotic house plant a long time.