13 Comments
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I would definitely divide them. You can do so when you dig them up for the fall, or next spring when you replant them. -
If you don't divide them you risk the roots swelling enough to break the pot. -
I love my Elephant Ears...I stuck mine in the ground in a soggy spot where nothing else really was happy. Mine are now a full story tall and one leaf can practically cover a Camry. They're very easy to maintain too! -
I had no idea they would grow big enough to cover a Camry, that is impressive! I will definitely divide them next spring. Didn't know the roots could swell big enough to break a pot either. I have a lot to learn about elephant ears. -
I don't have the gian elephant ears, but my regular ones do me proud in good years. Last year's heat almost did them in. I did not know they would thrive in containers. -
Elephant ears are beautiful, easy to grow but they must be contained in Central Florida unless you want to fill your yard with them. They require no special care at all. I didn't ever feed them & only rarely watered them. -
Interesting that you rarely water yours. According to everything I've read and experienced elephant ears require quite a bit of water. Guess that is another difference in FL & NC Mine require frequent watering. The instructions stated very clearly to keep moist.
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I have been growing them in Iowa for a number of years. I started out with two and now have over thirty of them. They are by far my favorite plant in the garden. This year we have planted them all around our pool. I am going to try growing a couple indoors. Not sure if they will do good as a year round indoor plant or not, but I have so many, I thought why not! :) I dig mine up each year once they have died back in the fall and just place them paper bags, place them in the basement and then separate them and plant them in the late spring. -
Interesting about digging them up. According to the instruction I have, as the leaves die off, begin folding them over the base of the plant.I assume this is to protect the bulbs from the winter season. As mine are in pots, I have been doing this for 3 years, They stayed outside in their pots and each year they have come back, bigger and better each time.
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Debi M, my elephant ears are outdoors and depend on nature for water. We currently have a drought situation in Florida which hasn't bothered the elephant ears one bit. My other plants would be dead without water.
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Mine in South Carolina require a goodly amount of water too, but we are so dry and hot here. They're tropical so maybe the Fla. clime is preferable to them. I think mine are all over SC giving so many away. I now that they do well in low, moist soil here. Debi, if you plant them in the garden, you will really see how huge they can become. The first giant ones I saw covered the entire left half of a man's home. He said they grow wild at his father's home in Florida. I've wanted the ...»
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Apparently the Carolina elephant ears love water! Its funny how plants of the same variety require different needs in various regions
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I agree, Debi M
