How to Take Care of Elephant Ear Plant Indoors: 9 Best Tips

How to grow an elephant ear plant indoors? These Colocasia and Alocasia plants are very simple to grow indoors, requiring very little love and attention. Elephant ear plants are tropical plants that thrive in bright indirect sunlight and produce large foliage that ranges from bright lime green to deep green with black stripes.

These swamp growers are native to tubers and can reach lengths of four to seven feet when fully grown. They are beautiful ornamental plants with heart-shaped leaves, and there are many varieties available on the market for your indoor areas or the brightest corner of your garden to make them look pretty.

1. Why Should Elephant Ear Plants Be Grown Indoors?

Elephant ear plant indoors is a good selection for your indoors if you want an impressive houseplant with large foliage and easy to grow and maintain. Elephant ear plants indoors form a very well center point in your indoor area and make an excellent effect on your interior.

If you want to display water features and decorate fountains or water bodies, such as ponds, lakes, or small lagoons, elephant ear plant indoors is a great option for your indoor spaces and backyards.

Elephant ear plant indoors is excellent in removing toxins, gases, and other unwelcome particles from the air. It is frequently used as a plant for the filtration of indoor air. The healthy plant tubers, or roots, are prepared into various delectable dishes.

Traditional Chinese medicine has traditionally employed the plant’s sap to treat a variety of ailments, such as pain, swelling, and rheumatism. The stem extract is also used to treat edema and cuts and burns.

The plant is thought to enlighten one’s personality development and bring luck to the household environment. The plant is highly regarded for bringing luck and pleasant vibrations into your home.

2. How Do You Care for Your Indoor Elephant Ear Plant?

Do you want to bring an elephant ear plant indoors and wow your guests with the glamour of your shelves, tables, or corners? These are without a doubt the simplest and most effective indoor plants to grow and must be at the top of your list.

2.1. Caring Guide For the Elephant Ear Plant Indoors

Colocasia and Alocasia elephant ear plants have a good reputation for growing successfully indoors. Both require very few care tips to ensure healthy growth and foliage. The following advice will help you grow your elephant ear plant indoors.

2.1.1. Planting Elephant Ear Plant Indoors

Elephant ear plant indoors is distinguished by their size since they are tuberous plants. The smaller elephant plant tubers will grow in smaller spaces and require less space, whereas the larger elephant plant tubers will require more space and grow larger and with more foliage.

As they become older, elephant ear plants may need bigger containers and a bigger space. Select a larger and more durable pot before you plant your elephant ear plant indoors. You can select a strong and long-lasting metal or fiberglass or plastic container.

These tubers should be planted in a large planter with at least 20 inches of depth. Fill the pot with soil, plant the tuber about three-quarters of the way, and then fill the pot with potting soil.

Elephant ear plants grow quickly and may need to be replanted every year during spring. Repotted elephant ear plants will grow and have better foliage. Also, ensure that the plants can retain moisture for an extended period, as these plants require more moisture to grow.

2.1.2. How Much Light Is Needed for an Indoor Colocasia and Alocasia Plant?

Some indoor elephant ear plants do best in sections of your home that receive direct sunshine, while others do best in locations that receive some shade. If you want to put them in a shaded area, make sure they get some sunlight for a certain amount of time. Many types require indirect light; therefore, you may need to put them in areas of your home that are rather shaded.

Avoid direct and strong sunlight exposure during the middle of the day. More intense sunlight may burn the leaves and hence you may need to place them to avoid such a situation. You can put on a curtain to protect the plants from getting exposed to direct light.

The elephant ear plant may require at least four to five hours of sunlight every day to develop properly indoors. As a result, stay away from putting them in a gloomy area of your house because it might hinder their development.

2.1.3. Watering Conditions For Elephant Ear Plants

Elephant ear plants grow best in moist soil. A proper drainage system is required for these plant roots, as they could be damaged if placed in too much water for an extended period. Unless otherwise specified, all such plants thrive even when only occasionally well-hydrated.

Keep an eye on the plants and hydrate them regularly. If necessary, or if the soil becomes dry, add more water. This should suffice to keep your plants in good health. However, if you are unsure, consult with an expert in this field.

You can use a planter with a saucer or a pebble disc. This should ensure proper water drainage and protect the roots from water damage.

2.1.4. Soil Condition For Elephant Ear Plants

Elephant ear plants prefer moist soil beds and can even grow in riverbeds. Indoor plants require soil that can retain moisture for an extended period. You can boost their growth by adding more fertilizer and good compost.

The potting soil for elephant ear plants should be one part compost, one part vermiculture, and one part peat moss. This will keep the moisture in the soil long enough to allow the elephant ear plant to thrive indoors.

To maintain the health of the plants, the soil’s pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5, and it must be properly treated with a liquid fertilizer high in nitrogen. To ensure consistent growth, keep the potting soil in the same condition as before when repotting.

2.1.5. Temperature Condition For Colocasia and Alocasia Plants

The ideal growing range for elephant ear plants is between mild and high temperatures. Even on hot summer days, they can survive well at temperatures between 15 and 30 degrees. These plants do not survive well in cool weather and freezing temperatures.

Try growing elephant ear plants indoors in much cooler weather where the temperature is favorable for growth. You might choose annual plants that can be planted every year if the interior temperature is substantially lower.

2.1.6. How Are Elephant Ear Bulbs Stored During the Winter?

Elephant ear tuber storage over the winter or at freezing temperatures is a difficult task that requires ongoing attention to the plants’ leaves. After removing the entire leaves throughout the winter, the bulbs or rhizomes can be harvested.

These dried bulbs are then stored for a longer period in an airtight container in a cool, dry location until the winter season is over. When the temperature warms up in the spring of the following year, you can reinstall them.

2.1.7. Growing Caladium Elephant Ear Plant Indoors: How Should They Be Cared For?

Commonly known as angel wings – it is a delicately-looking elephant ear plant that consists of nearly 1000 varieties. Another common variant is pink in tone and pink foliage.

Caladium is characterized by three major types and has large hearts and longer stems. Lanceleaf caladium has smaller leaves on longer leaves with ruffled edges and generally are smaller plants. Caladium is generally more compact than the Alocasia Polly plant. Caladium needs direct sunlight, unlike some of its elephant-ear friends.

Caladium needs to be monitored for proper irrigation and drainage systems considerably more frequently. Yellowing of the plant’s leaves is one of the effects of insufficient watering that occurs frequently.

2.1.8. Growing Xanthosoma Elephant Ear Plant Indoors: How Should They Be Cared For?

Native to tropical Americas, Xanthosoma is rarely seen outside American gardens. Its size is a little larger and can be as large as four feet long and tall and is partly completely shaded and well drained.

Like Colocasia, tubers are edible when cooked. These are foods that provide necessities for many parts of the globe. It also produces tiny edible potato cormels.

2.1.9. Growing Alocasia Elephant Ear Plant Indoors: How Should They Be Cared For?

Although Alocasia poly grows outdoors seems relatively painless, there are pickier indoors. However, they have a popular reputation for home plants because of their impressive look and are usually grown in small- to medium-sized containers.

You must increase their watering to avoid them becoming soggy – too much. A good guideline would be to water the vegetation at least once they dry. Water less when winter doesn’t actively grow. Use the good-draining potting mix to reduce water clogging.

3. Conclusion

Is there anything exciting for your landscape this season? Look at elephant ear plants. Its shape and color are amazing, and the plant can grow large if properly maintained. The foliage is beautiful, and it adds a stunning look to your home. Those who are interested in something beautiful, but modern may find this a perfect choice for an indoor houseplant.

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