How-to Guide
How to Grow Elephant Ears
The short answer
Elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta) are tropical foliage plants grown from large corms. University of Florida IFAS lists them for shade to part shade in consistently wet conditions — they tolerate standing water up to 3 inches deep, with leaf blades that can exceed 20 inches long on petioles up to 3 feet. They cannot survive where temperatures stay below freezing for extended periods, so in most of the U.S. the corms are lifted each fall.
University of Maryland Extension's overwintering method: cut the leaves at ground level when they start to yellow or after frost kills them back, dig the corms carefully, cure them about 7-10 days, and store them in a cool, dry, frost-free place covered with dry potting soil or shredded paper. Restart them in pots in late February for planting out from mid-May through early June.
What it is and where it grows
Colocasia is a spreading tropical: UF notes it expands horizontally over time through underground corms. It is happiest at pond edges, rain gardens, and any bed that never dries out. Big leaves are the whole point — expect blades over 20 inches long in good conditions.
Planting in spring
- 1Wait for warm soil — Like other tropicals, elephant ears go out only after frost — Maryland Extension times transplanting of pre-started tubers to mid-May through early June, once soil warms.
- 2Start early indoors — Pot a stored corm in late February in a container just larger than the corm, in soilless mix, warm and bright, and it will be a real plant by planting-out time (UMD).
- 3Pick a wet spot — Shade to part shade with reliable moisture; UF rates it for water up to 3 inches deep, so soggy corners other plants hate are ideal.
Water and feeding
Never let the bed dry out in summer — consistent moisture is the difference between jungle-size leaves and sulking plants. Rich soil with organic matter holds the moisture these heavy drinkers demand.
Digging and winter storage
- 1Cut and dig — Cut leaves at ground level when they start to yellow or after frost kills them back; dig carefully to avoid damaging the corms (UMD).
- 2Cure 7-10 days — Brush off soil (do not wash), then cure about 7-10 days in a single layer on screens or cardboard, turning periodically.
- 3Store frost-free — UMD stores them cool, dry, and frost-free in ventilated boxes, corms not touching, covered with dry potting soil or shredded paper; check periodically and mist lightly if they shrivel. Clemson's colocasia recommendation runs warmer — a 70-75 F dry area — so the non-negotiable is frost-free and dry, not a precise number.
→ Elephant ears are flagged in our safety review (the aroid family). Before planting where pets or children might chew leaves or corms, verify Colocasia on the ASPCA toxic-plant database or with your Extension office.
Sources
Reviewed 2026-07-18. We cite university Extension, government, and established horticultural sources — and never invent pesticide rates or dangerous treatments.
- University of Maryland Extension — Overwintering Tropical Plants — Cut leaves at ground level at yellowing or after frost; dig carefully; brush not wash; cure 7-10 days; store cool dry frost-free covered with dry potting soil/shredded paper; pot up late February, transplant mid-May to early June
- UF/IFAS Extension Nassau County — Fact Sheet: Black Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta) — Shade to part shade; tolerates water up to 3 inches deep; leaf blades over 20 inches, petioles to 3 feet; cannot survive extended freezing; spreads by corms
- Clemson Cooperative Extension HGIC — Summer- and Fall-Flowering Bulbs — Colocasia planted in spring; dig before frost and store in a 70-75 F dry area