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The Elephant Ear plant belongs to the Caladium family and is known for their big leaves whose shape resemble that of elephant ears -- thus its name. They are native to many tropical and sub-tropical regions in the world and at maturity can grow up to 5 feet in height. They are fast growing and can thrive well in both sunny and shady areas. Because of their enormous size, giant elephant ear plants can be good material for landscaping.
The elephant ear plant grows best in nutrient rich, wet or moist soil. For the most part of the year, they should be grown outdoors. They also love water. However, avoid overwatering elephant ear plants as they can easily find their way in ponds. Should you choose to grow them in pots, it is recommended that you use self-watering pots to lessen your gardening chores. When you place the pots outdoors, make sure that they are heavy enough to prevent high winds from toppling them over.
The elephant ear plant requires substantial amounts of nutrients and so it is recommended that you feed them monthly with fertilizers (the 20-20-20 variety will do) during the growing season.
If your elephant ear plant does not produce a healthy amount of leaves it means that they are not receiving either enough water or nutrients.
Ideally you should grow elephant ear plant indoors eight weeks before the last frost in your area. When propagating, divide the elephant ear bulbs into three sections during planting season. Bury the corms blunt end down at least two inches in nutrient rich soil. After you have planted them, apply some mulch and fertilizer. Mulch will help retain water and provide organic matter for the plant. Make sure also that the soil does not dry out. During the time that the elephant ear plant will produce leaves, continually apply liquid fertilizer. At spring you can gradually expose the plant to the wind and sun for at least one week. Once the last frost in your area ends, you can bring your plants outdoors.
The elephant ear plant is known to suffer from pest infestation. It is thus recommended that you apply insecticide to your plant when necessary. Some varieties of the plant are known to be eaten in some parts of Asia and the US. However, if you are unsure if the one planted in your garden is of the edible kind, it is best that you keep your elephant ear plant away from children and pets who might try chewing on their leaves.
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Author Bio Box: Patricia Wainwright
Get all the facts about indoor gardening and gardening information at GreenThumbArticles.com!
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