How to Plant Elephant Ear Bulbs in a Pot

A thorough guide on planting elephant ear bulbs and growing them in a pot

Co-authored by Mark Leahy

Last Updated: February 4, 2023

Their huge tropical leaves make elephant ears an attractive, attention-grabbing plant to have around your home. Plant elephant ears in pots during the spring if you want to keep them alive year-round or use them as indoor houseplants. With the proper care, these plants can do just as well in large pots as in the ground outside. You’re sure to get some impressed “oohs” and “aahs” from your guests when they see your fully grown elephant ears!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Potting

1
Wear gardening gloves whenever you handle elephant ear bulbs. Raw elephant ear bulbs contain oxalates, which can cause burning irritation if they come in contact with sensitive skin or if they’re swallowed. Protect your hands with gloves to prevent transferring any toxins to other areas and avoid touching your face and eyes while you’re planting your bulbs.^{[1]
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- Keep small children and pets away from the bulbs as well. Once your elephant ears have foliage, keep in mind that the raw leaves also contain these same toxins.
2
Choose a pot that is at least 16 in (41 cm) deep and 18 in (46 cm) wide. Large pots allow you to happily grow large elephant ears without repotting them for several years. They also hold more soil, so it doesn’t dry out easily and the plants have the moist soil they like to live in.^{[2]
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- For Colocasia varieties of elephant ears, an 18 in (46 cm) wide pot is sufficient. For Alocasia varieties, go with something larger, such as a 36 in (91 cm) wide pot.
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3
Select a pot that is made of a non-porous material. Use a container made of plastic, fiberglass, or glazed clay, so that it retains moisture well. Avoid pots made out of plain terra cotta, as this is a porous material.^{[3]
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- Elephant ears require a lot of moisture, so using a non-porous pot helps reduce water evaporation through the sides of the pot and helps keep your plants nice and hydrated.
4
Fill the pot about 3/4 of the way with a lightweight commercial potting mix. Lightweight potting mixes are usually blends of peat moss, vermiculite, and sand. These types of commercial potting mixes are ideal for your pots because they provide a great balance between drainage and moisture retention.^{[4]
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- Commercial potting mixes sometimes have fertilizer and added nutrients mixed in, which is fine for elephant ears as well.
- Never use heavy soils, which contain more clay, because they retain a lot of moisture and make it easy to overwater your elephant ears.
5
Add about 2 in (5.1 cm) of organic compost or manure on top of the soil. Spread the compost or manure out in an even layer on top of the potting mix. This gives the plants more nutrition and aids with moisture retention in the soil.^{[5]
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- Either homemade or store-bought compost is fine for your elephant ears.
6
Bury a bulb root-side-down 8 in (20 cm) deep in the soil. Dig a hole about 8 in (20 cm) deep in the middle of the pot. Place the bulb in the hole with the flat root end pointing down and cover it with soil, packing it down lightly.^{[6]
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- Don’t plant more than 1 bulb per pot. Elephant ears need about 6 ft (1.8 m) between them to accommodate for their large spread.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Care

1
Place the pot in an area where it will get full to partial sun. Full to partial sun means from 3-6 hours of sunlight per day or more. Choose either an outdoor spot or somewhere inside where the plant will get enough sun, like next to a sunny window.^{[7]
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- If you have an elephant ear in a spot where it receives a lot of direct sunlight and you ever notice that its leaves are looking bleached or brown, move it to a place where it doesn’t get as much sunlight to give it a break from the harsh rays.
2
Water the plants enough to keep them moist, but not soggy. Feel the soil in the containers daily to make sure it is still moist and water your elephant ears whenever the soil starts to dry out. Never let the soil dry out completely between waterings.^{[8]
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- Elephant ears are fast growers, which is why they like to always have water available in the soil. They get stressed out if the soil dries out and stop growing well.
3
Feed your elephant ears once a month with a balanced fertilizer. Use a 10-10-10 or a 20-20-20 fertilizer because these contain equal parts of the essential nutrients. Apply the fertilizer to the soil according to the package’s instructions to satisfy the appetite of your elephant ears.^{[9]
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- A 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10% each of nitrogen, phosphate. and potash. A 20-20-20 fertilizer contains 20% each of nitrogen, phosphate, and potash.
4
Cut off dead foliage and stop watering for 8-10 weeks in the fall. Elephant ears go dormant at the end of the growing season, when temperatures start to drop in the fall. Prune all the dead foliage off with garden shears when this happens and stop watering the plants.^{[10]
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- If you live somewhere without 4 seasons and your elephant ears don’t go dormant because the temperatures don’t drop down enough, ignore the remaining steps and keep watering and feeding the plants as normal to keep them happy and green year-round.
- Use this time to repot or dig up and divide the bulbs to propagate them if the plants are becoming too big for your pots.
5
Bring any outdoor elephant ears inside before the first frost. Put them in a cool, dry spot. This prevents them from dying off because of the freezing temperatures.^{[11]
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- If all your plants are already indoors, there’s no need to move them. Their regular spot is just fine.
6
Water your elephant ears 1-2 times a month until spring. After allowing your plants to go dormant for 8-10 weeks in the fall, start watering them occasionally to keep the soil moist. Don’t water so much that the soil is soggy.^{[12]
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- There’s no need to fertilize in the winter, either. Once spring comes to town, go ahead and start your regular watering and fertilizing routine over again.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can I propagate elephant ear?

Mark Leahy
Plant Specialist
Mark Leahy is a Plant Specialist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the Co-Owner of Bella Fiora, a custom design floral studio, and SF Plants, a plant shop and nursery. Mark specializes in floral artistry and indoor plants including floral arrangements, terrace planters, office plantscapes, and living walls. Mark and his business partner have been featured in Vogue, The Knot, Today’s Bride, Wedding Wire, Modern Luxury, San Francisco Bride Magazine, San Francisco Fall Antique Show, Black Bride, Best of the Bay Area A-List, and Borrowed & Blue.

Mark Leahy

Plant Specialist

Expert Answer

Yes! Cut off a stem at a 45-degree angle and dip the end in rooting powder. Then, put the stem in water and wait for roots to form before transferring it to the soil.

Warnings

Elephant ear plants are toxic if eaten. Keep pets and small children away from them to avoid accidents.^{[16]
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Wear gloves when you’re handling elephant ear bulbs and avoid touching your eyes and face while you’re planting them.^{[17]
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