Nothing adds a note of lush tropical beauty quite like upright elephant ears. This easy-to-grow foliage plant always astonishes with its enormous, rippled, bright green leaves, held up and out from the center of the plant on thick stems. Happy in moist to wet soil, this tender perennial is a delight in any climate.
These beautiful leaves can reach more than a foot long and wide, with nice texturing from the ribs and veins. They are thick, so they can tolerate a good bit of direct sunlight, and they hold up well in rough weather. No need to pamper this elephant.
Expect this Alocasia odora upright elephant ear plant to reach 6 to 8 feet high at maturity, and 4 to 6 feet wide. If you are growing it in a container or only growing it from spring through fall each year (with the bulb stored during winter), it will stay smaller. But whatever size it reaches, upright elephant ear commands attention and interest.
Upright Elephant ear needs consistent soil moisture to thrive, and the more sun it gets, the wetter its soil can be. However, the bulb can rot underground in winter in too-wet soil, so lift it before first hard frost if you live north of Zone 7 or are growing it in a damp setting, such as a waterside planting or a boggy area of the garden. And if soil moisture is an issue, give it more shade.
Enjoy this low-maintenance, gorgeous foliage plant for many seasons to come.
