Giant Elephant Ears (Alocasia) in planters outside.

Elephant Ears

What are they?

Elephant Ears are a popular plant for gardens and houseplants. Some are common and can be found easily at any garden center. Others are extremely rare and costs hundreds or thousands of dollars!

Below, we’ll share with you the different kinds of Elephant Ears, how to use them in your garden, and some unique varieties that are well-suited to Southwest Missouri.

Container gardening by Myron Royce Gardens landscaping in Springfield, MO.
Black Colocasia in a container.
Landscaping in Springfield, Mo by Myron Royce Gardens.
Pink and White Caladiums in a shade landscape.
Container gardening landscaping with pots by Myron Royce Gardens in Springfield, MO.
Alocasia in a container on a porch.

Caladium bicolor

Caladiums, also called Angel Wings, are often grown as a houseplant and an outdoor plant for containers or gardens. Outside, they thrive in the shade or partial sun. They typically only grow 12-18’ tall and produce a small cluster of leaves. They range in color from pink to white to green.

Caladiums are not hardy in zone 6, but can be moved inside for the winter. Here’s a guide from Proven Winners on how to overwinter Caladiums.

Identification: Caladiums produce several stems from one underground corm. Each stem produces one leaf on the end, which grows drooping downward. The stem intersects the leaf at a right angle. Each leaf has a deep V cut at the base.

Varieties:

Hybrida – Pink, White, Red (bold colors)

Heart to Heart Series (beautiful shades of pink and white)

Frog in a Blender (mottled green colors)

Flower pot with Elephant Ears planted by Myron Royce Gardens landscapers in Rogersville, MO.
Red Caladiums in a planter in full shade.
Container garden planted by Myron Royce Gardens landscaping in Branson, MO.
Container of Caladiums.
Container garden planted by Myron Royce Gardens landscapers in Branson, MO.
Container with Caladium Elephant Ears, Persian Shield, Impatiens, and Moneywort.

Alocasia macrorrhizzos

Alocasia are usually grown as a houseplant, with many rare varieties selling for very high prices. Giant Alocasia or Giant Taro, however, are often grown outside in gardens or pots, reaching up to 5 feet in Missouri. They can tolerate full sun but prefer afternoon shade. These only come in green. 

Alocasia are not hardy in zone 6, but the corms (tubers/bulbs) can be harvested and replanted the following spring, similar to Caladiums.

Identification: Alocasia produce several stems from one underground corm, with one leaf on the end of each stem. The leaves usually grow pointing toward the sky, with the stem continuing in a straight line even where the leaf begins. Alocasia leaves usually have a deep V cut at the base that reaches to the stem. The edges of the leaves are very wavy.

Varieties: 

Alocasia odora (fragrant flower, also called Night-Scented Lily)

Alocasia portodora (large green leaves)

Tropical landscaping by Myron Royce Gardens in Springfield, MO.
Alocasia in full sun tropical landscaping.
Tropical landscaping done by Myron Royce Gardens.
Alocasia in full sun tropical landscaping.

Colocasia esculenta

Colocasia, also called Taro, are usually grown outdoors. They, like Alocasia, grow much larger in their native tropical climates, but may only reach 2-4 feet in Missouri. They prefer partial sun, or full sun for darker leaves. Colocasia aren’t hardy in Missouri, but their corms can be saved like Alocasias and Caladiums. Colocasia have many interesting varieties, and look great in pots or gardens.

Identification: Colocasia produce many stems from one corm, with one leaf on the end of each stem. The leaves bend downward, intersecting the stem at a right angle. The leaf margins are not as wavy as Alocasia and the V cut does not reach all the way to the stem.

Varieties:

Hawaiian Punch (red-pink stems with green leaves)

White Lava (white centers and veins on green leaves)

Black Magic (black shades over a green leaf)

Mojito (green and black mottled leaves)

Landscaping by Myron Royce Gardens.
Green Colocasia in part shade.
Landscaping by Myron Royce Gardens.
Giant Colocasia in part sun.
landscaping by Myron Royce Gardens in Ozark, MO.
Colocasia with black coloring in part sun.

Conclusion

Elephant Ears of any kind are a great annual to plant in Missouri. They can awe you with their size or dazzle you with their colors. Additionally, they thrive in partial sun or shade landscapes, container gardens, and even as houseplants. As a bonus, Elephant Ears are deer-resistant!

Myron Royce Gardens plants Elephant Ears in many of our customers’ gardens. If you want to check out our work for inspiration, you can see our portfolios here. You can also look here to find more varieties of Elephant Ears from BallSeed, where we source our plants. 

If you’re interested in our landscaping services, just give us a call at 417-443-2648 or contact us here.

About the Author

Myron Royce Gardens is a professional landscaping company based in Ozark, MO. We provide landscape design, installation, and maintenance services throughout the Springfield-Branson area. 

We started this blog because we want to share our knowledge and expertise with everyone in Southwest Missouri. Landscaping is our passion, and we want it to be a pleasant experience for everyone. 

If you want to see more, follow us on Facebook!

Myron Royce Gardens Storefront Ozark, MO

Share This Article!