Are Elephant Ears Invasive? [And Where To Grow Them]

find fresh plant to have throughout your garden can sometimes be easier said than done . Do you want to try growing elephant ear but do n’t make out whether they ’re incursive or not ? Are these plants generally strong-growing towards other species nearby ?

Well , we ’ve done plenty of inquiry and have the resolution to these questions below . Let ’s get into them !

No . you could broadly expect elephant ear within North American landscapes to be non - incursive . Although this mintage is not native to North America , it has become neutralise over the years .

With that said , elephant ears can " intrude on " sure space due to their turgid foliage , often blocking the sun from the plant life underneath them .

So , if you require to grow elephant ear but do n’t want to have other plants in your landscape gardening suffer , we recommend giving them some blank space .

As we begin , we will extend all thing elephant ear grow and talk over whether this species is invading to your other plants . If you ’re Modern to this industrial plant , have one in your railyard , or want to learn more about them , you ’re at the right place . With that say , let ’s plunge right into this topic below !

Are Elephant Ears An Invasive Species?

No . Elephant ear are not typically invasive toNorth Americanecosystems . However , this plant can become middling of an invader because of its size and foliage , hence the muddiness .

One of the reasons many citizenry avert growing elephant ear is that they can take over sections of a garden . Of course , this is much like any other plant , so if you keep yours pruned , this wo n’t become an issue .

Typically , elephant pinna are more of a impersonal coinage within your garden . That mean they are n’t necessarily aggressive but can become a pain in the neck for smaller plant beneath them .

Therefore , we do n’t recommend planting elephant ear beside a pocket-size , more fragile plant , as this is a recipe for encroachment .

you may also section off your elephant capitulum to keep them growing in one area , so there are quite a little of ways to have them alongside other species within your landscaping .

How Do You Keep Elephant Ears From Spreading?

The dependable way to prevent elephant ear from spreading is to spray all aerial part with an herbicide . Doing this will keep your flora from get giving or expatiate its canopy , at last assist whatever ’s growing beside or under it .

you may anticipate this to be a dull process , but if you ’re vigilant , it will be successful . unaired monitoring and patience are fundamental to restrain an elephant ’s spike at bay .

moreover , you may also prune your elephant capitulum every few weeks / months to keep it from spread , so there are a duad of ways to do this .

Sometimes , it might even be best to dispatch entire elephant ears if they become too overgrown in your garden . This all depends on the degree of their growth .

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Where Are Elephant Ears Native To?

Elephant ears originate principally fromtropicalsouthern Asia , Indonesia , Malaysia , New Guinea , parts of Australia , or the Pacific Islands .

As we said , this species is neutralized here in the United States , and throughout North America , so it wo n’t be inevitably invasive .

to boot , the ' Xanthosoma ' elephant ear variety is native to tropic America , so there is one that grow on this side of the world .

Regardless , elephant ears bonk tropical atmospheric condition . This species is also a staple in tropical countries for its edible starchy corms or tubers , so that ’s interesting .

If you live inFlorida , you might remark a monumental routine of elephant ear grow near Fernandina Beach , which has become a hub for the plant mintage .

Elephant ears have become so prevalent across Florida that many mistake them for weeds !

Where Do Elephant Ears Grow Best?

The good places to grow elephant ears would be USDA zones10 - 11 . As we covered above , these plants choose topical climates and do n’t do well in the frigidness .

You desire to adjudicate and grow these in property with conditions similar to Southeast Asia .

For temperatures , it ’s good to keep elephant ears somewhere the weather last out between 70 and 85 degrees during the day and down to 60 degrees at night .

However , you may sometimes grow elephant ears as annuals in cooler climates , but you will need to replant them every year .

In general , though , elephant auricle will return each twelvemonth or stay on greenish 365 day , depending on how tropic your growing climate is .

Do Elephant Ears Multiply?

Yes , it is potential and common for elephant ears to multiply . That said , you will likely need to split up your elephant ear bycuttingthe genus Tuber into slice and then replant them .

It ’s also substantive to ensure a " corm " inside the tuber , which is comparable to the eyes of a potato . In contrast , you wo n’t in all likelihood see elephant ear multiply in droves without you propagate , so they should n’t take over a garden independently .

Like any works metal money , elephant ears will thrive in size of it and potentially sprout other plant life from the territory nearby .

You also need to factor in the clime where you live , as that can sham the chances of your plant growth and reproduce rapidly .

Warmer weather for longer periods typically means more elephant ear development .

Should I Cut My Elephant Ears Back?

If you notice the elephant ears in your grounds become too big for their current spot , that ’s a good time for pruning . As we said before , you’re able to lop these plants to be smaller , which can help oneself prevent invasive behaviors .

Many experts also advocate cutting back elephant ears if you go incolderclimates . you could salt away their genus Tuber indoors during the wintertime weather and replant them once outpouring hits .

Again , you want to commend that elephant auricle will cash in one’s chips if you leave them alfresco in weather condition below 60 degrees Fahrenheit , so that ’s something to be mindful of .

Some people compare the overwintering operation of dahlias to elephant ears , as they ’re very similar , so if you have those two specie in your garden , seek to cover them and take them indoors or cultivate them .

Specifically , for those in USDA zones 1 - 6 , you need to cut back your elephant ears to roughlysix inchestall . In contrast , if you are somewhere tropical , you do n’t want to do much pruning at all .

Do Elephant Ears Grow Better In Pots Or The Ground?

you may require an elephant ear to rise well anywhere it has enough space . For representative , if you decide you desire your elephant ear in a weed / plantation owner , it needs to belargeenough to sustain its roots .

The same goes for the ground , so forfend rise elephant ears or other plant metal money too close to each other . Doing this can also preclude perhaps invading behavior , so it ’s a win - winnings .

Many experts advocate get elephant ears in larger pots as they dry out out slower . That mean you do n’t have to water your plant often , which is always skilful .

It ’s imperative to consistently keep the flat coat near an elephant spike moist , as this will aid in a sound plant for years to come .

So , we commend using a pot no smaller than 10 - 12 column inch for a new plant .

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How Big Do Elephant Ears Get?

you’re able to look a ripe elephant ear to reach anywhere from three to six feet improbable . you’re able to also expect the cattle ranch of your elephant ear to be around the same as its height , so this plant can be monolithic .

Of course , the size of your industrial plant depends on how well you handle for it . what is more , elephant ears wo n’t become very full-grown if they do n’t live somewhere tropic , so that play a office too .

In general , as long as your plant gets enough sunlight , and moisture , and has space to grow and mature , it will become quite grand .

The soil your elephant auricle is in should also be more acidulent , ideally experience a pH of5.5 - 7.0 . If you could examine and recreate these conditions in your own backyard , it ’s potential to see your flora become six feet tall within a few year .

Do Elephant Ears Live A Long Time?

bet on where they hold out , elephant ears can last indefinitely . Considering this species is technically repeated in tropical arise zone , you may expect one to live for years if the conditions ’s nice .

On the other hand , if you are somewhere with freeze winters , your elephant ear wo n’t see more than one year outdoors . So , a good way to keep one active is to bring it inside during winter .

Many masses have elephant ears as houseplant , so if you want to have one but do n’t live in the right USDA zone , you could for certain grow one indoors year - round .

To Finish

Whether you have an elephant ear plant grow in your garden or want to get one , it ’s essential to know whether this specie is invading or not .

Luckily , we found that an elephant ear wo n’t expose encroaching or aggressive tendencies throughout North America .   moreover , this metal money can be trained to remain belittled if you regularly cut it , so that ’s what we commend for worried gardener .

Overall , elephant ears prefer tropical climates and are n’t difficult to maintain , so if you want a unique species in your landscape , they ’re worth considering .

Made it to the end ? stop out these other related garden articles below !

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