Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Elephant Ear.
Colocasia Schott
Pronounced kol-oh-KAY-zee-uh
Also known as Elephant ear
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Colocasia plants are tropical perennials known for their massive, heart shaped leaves that add a dramatic flair to any space. They thrive in warm, humid environments and love plenty of moisture. You will find they make excellent statement pieces for your home or garden.
At a glance
- Care level
- Moderate
- Plant type
- Tropical perennial
- Light
- Partial shade to bright indirect light
- Indoor light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Every 3 to 7 days
- Mature size
- 3 to 6 feet
- Growth rate
- Fast
Care
Keep the soil consistently moist and provide high humidity to prevent leaf edges from browning. Watch for yellowing leaves, which often signal that the plant is too dry or needs more light. Ensure the plant stays in a warm spot away from cold drafts.
- Watering
- Keep the soil damp but not soggy to mimic their natural swampy habitat.
- Feeding
- Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer during the active growing season.
- Pruning
- Trim away yellow or damaged leaves at the base of the stem to keep the plant tidy.
- Repotting
- Move to a larger container once the roots begin to fill the current pot.
- Soil
- Rich, well draining potting mix
- Soil pH
- 5.5 to 7.0
Safety
- Pets
- This plant is toxic to cats and dogs if ingested due to insoluble calcium oxalate crystals.
How to identify it
- Large heart shaped leaves
- Prominent leaf veins
- Thick fleshy stems
- Upright growth habit
Problems to watch for
Check your elephant ear from a photo
Pocket Botanist looks at a photo of your plant and tells you what's wrong and what to try first.
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Science
- Family
- Araceae
- Genus
- Colocasia
- Order
- Alismatales
- Class
- Liliopsida
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Also in
Keep your elephant ear growing
This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.
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This guide was generated with AI on and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.