You ’ll find elephant ear in Africa , South America , Central America , Australia , and Asia ’s tropical region .
Creating an environment that resembles its native tropical home ground is all important for a hefty , long - lasting plant . However , can your taro root survive the wintertime ?
Elephant ear ca n’t support temperature below 50 ° F ( 10 ° C ) in the wintertime or freezing term . As a resolution , they will come in quiescency and die during the winter unless they are protected or brought indoors and grown as houseplants in bright locations . Removing their corm or genus Tuber and stack away them for the farsighted wintertime month is also possible .
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How Is Cold Too Cold for Elephant Ears?
works in the elephant ear folk , such as Xanthosoma and Alocasia , originate in the tropical wetland of Malaysia , Vietnam , and other part of South - East Asia .
These regions have a humid and fond climate throughout the yr , with plenty of rainwater and picayune luck of snow .
Elephant ear plants are not accommodate to surround with temperature near or below freezing .
Foliage , roots , and stems , among other morphological elements , are adapted to flourish in the blistering and humid climates of their native lands .
This allows their biological processes to run as expeditiously as possible .
As long as humidness levels remain gamey , a good for you , well - established elephant ear can withstand temperature of 90 ° F ( 32 ° C ) or even higher .
Temperatures must be above 70 ° F ( 21 ° C ) for your elephant ear leaves to remain green and thrive .
But , at the same time , this means that your tropic stunner is not hardy or tolerant of dusty , gulp , or frost .
The elephant auricle ’s ruggedness is , at secure , tender . When temperature reach around 68 ° F ( 20 ° C ) , it will have a cold - stimulate injury .
When the thermometer reaches this detail , I strongly advise you to take your industrial plant indoors for the winter .
Your works ’s vulnerability to the element can be importantly negative on a patio or balcony , where the conditions can directly affect it .
A temperature drop below 50 ° F will make the elephant ear plant to falter and sustain .
In addition , these cold snap , Robert Frost , or freeze down temperatures will kill the leaves and may worsen other cultural and care issues like overwatering , pest infestations , diseases , etc .
Keep your elephant capitulum in the 70 - 86 ° F ( 21 - 30 ° degree centigrade ) mountain range for good results . This makes it more probable that they will have beautiful , long - last parting and a robust root organisation .
Elephant Ear Plant Hardiness Zones
Even though elephant ears are not native , they produce fast and do well in USDA Hardiness Zones 8B through 11 .
These warm zones , including zone 8 , 9 , 10 , and 11 , can be planted and left in the earth as garden plants or grown in outdoor container as planters year - round .
These plants grow quick in these zones , reaching up to 10 foot ( 3 meter ) in both feast and height .
In idealistic weather , the leafage will be imposingly unripe , spunk - shape , and massive , evaluate up to 2 foot ( 60 cm ) encompassing and 3 foot ( 90 curium ) long .
However , in colder zona ( those below zone 8) , the leaves will be impressive but much modest in length and width .
Then , when the cold winter conditions arrives , the material trouble begins . hoar or inhuman equipment casualty will cause the leave to become stunted , yellow , and die .
What are the Signs of Cold/Frost Damage on Elephant Ears?
The freezing of water in the plant will come about due to the frigid cracking accompany winter atmospheric condition .
Frozen water expands and slices through the folio tissue , causing irreversible damage to your industrial plant .
luckily , there are some former warning signs of cold or rime damage on your elephant ear that you should be cognisant of :
Foliage Discoloration
light-green pigmentation loss is usually an early sign of something improper with your elephant ear .
One of the first signboard of hoar and cold impairment is a sudden color change that go on almost out of nowhere .
You may notice a slight yellowing of the foliage . This usually begins at the leaf tips and edges .
Larger brown or dark blotches may finally come along across the folio .
Tender Leaves
If the leaves on your flora calculate queerly bright or glistening and are lenient and tight , this could be frost damage
Frozen liquids within the leaves cause the gleaming leafage surfaces . When press , the foliation may feel spongy , and fluid may go forth .
Frayed or Tattered Leaf Margins
icing damage to leaves oft begins ( and is wide ) at the margin of the leaves .
The edge of the leaves will develop minor frays , schism , or tatters . They appear to be fringe because of this .
Drooping of Leaves
Frozen water system within the leave of absence can also severely damage the backing features that keep the elephant auricle ’s turgid , nerve - shaped leafage upright .
As a result , the herbaceous tissue becomes soggy , weak , and sonant , make the leaves to become limp .
The tender growths and foliage show the most sign of stale / frost damage . color flower buds and soggy tissue may play along a drooping appearance .
What Do You Do with Elephant Ears in the Winter?
Elephant ear , like most tropic plants , will likely be sleeping when wintertime weather arrives .
Therefore , they typically devour fewer resource , and you should modify your care quotidian accordingly :
[1] Reduce Watering And Fertilizing
tropic industrial plant , such as elephant ears , will dormant during the wintertime . This holds for both indoor and outdoor plants .
Your plant life is n’t actively arise during this meter , so its water consumption is drastically reduced .
As a result , it ’s best to stop or cut lacrimation during the dusty winter month .
If you continue to irrigate your plant , the soil will become too wet , promoting root rot .
In improver , Overwatering exposes your elephant ear to pests and disease .
During quiescence , elephant capitulum consume few nutrients and minerals . As a effect , you must reduce feeding .
If you continue to feed it fertiliser , excess fertiliser salts will accumulate in the soil and burn the roots . Fertilizing late in the season is also unwise .
This is because fertilizer , especially with a lot of nitrogen , encourages diffused growth , making your elephant ear more likely to get hurt by cold-blooded .
[2] Bring Your Elephant Ears Indoors
Outside USDA Hardiness Zones 8 through 11 , elephant ear plants are not wintered hardy . Most choices will croak if left outside in the winter cold .
There are two options here :
The 2nd selection is practicable for the majority of gardeners . This is extremely convenient if your elephant ears are already potted in portable containers .
convey them inside and place your pot plants in a cool , humid localization with temperatures ranging from 60 - 65 ° F ( 15 - 18 ° C ) .
[3] Protect Your Outdoor Elephant Ears
While elephant auricle plants can defy mild winters outdoors , particularly in warmer zones 8b through 9 , the leave will assume the brunt of any frost or cold snap .
Fortunately , you canoverwinter your elephant earoutside with proper protective cover . How so ?
Even the hardiest tropical plants require aegis from the elements in endanger or insensate - prone areas such as open gardens , terrace , or backyards .
For example , potted elephant ears are especially vulnerable and involve particular care when soil temperatures descend below 68 ° F ( 20 ° C ) .
The first line of defence is to ensure that your industrial plant receives some wintertime direct sunlight .
Container elephant ear , for exercise , should be placed in E - facing or southward - facing terraces , porches , and so on .
These expanse have the potential to fire up up quickly . The next step in protecting your plant is to localize it in a thick - walled throne .
The thick rampart will reduce heat passing and cold penetration , covering the roots from damage because of the frigidity .
A thick layer of mulch should be apply to the growing metier . In my experience , four column inch of mulch is ideal , but the more , the good .
Mulching is essential for protect the roots and insulating the growing metier .
Compost , sterilized leaf mold , seed - destitute straws , and sawdust are all excellent mulching stuff .
Wrap your plant in row coverings or horticultural fleece in wet , inhuman weather to protect it ( check out the latest price on Amazonhere ) .
Wrap container / mass in straw or bubble polythene to keep ascendent from stop dead . Keep in mind that your garden can create its microclimate .
So , it ’s indispensable to put your elephant ear at the base of a south - face wall , where it will be protect from draughty winds . keep off north - facing areas because they are commonly wet and stale .
[4] Potting-Up to Bring Indoors
If you be in USDA hardiness zone one through six , you must fetch your elephant ear indoors for the winter .
However , to give it a home and ensure that your plant is ready for the next growing season , you must first pot it up to the Tuber .
Potting up your elephant ear for the winter is a simple cognitive operation . collect everything you ’ll need : a unimaginative film editing tool , gloves , a pot , and potting stain
If your elephant pinna is already potted , find a suitable locating in your habitation for it to overwinter . Ensure it get raft of promising , indirect twinkle to debar root putrefaction and fungal infection .
[5] Prune Elephant Ears to Survive Winter
Elephant ears benefit importantly from even pruning . These tropical evergreens produce fresh foliation throughout the growing time of year .
snip off old foliation is an splendid way to keep it respectable and vivacious .
Furthermore , if you live outside zone 8 and anticipate dusty weather , pruning will guarantee that your dearie hold out the winter . It ’s passably simple :
Snip back your plant life ’s leaves 2 - 3 days after the first rime appear .
Then , when the leaves commence to call on brown , it is the right time . outwear clean gloves and shrill , sterile pruning scissors / shears as a rule of ovolo .
Make trusted to cut the foliage near the elephant pinna ’s al-Qaida .
There should be about two inches of space above the priming . blank cuts are all-important for avoiding tears and rips .
[6] Avoid Repotting Elephant Ears During The Winter
Repotting can be a physically stressful experience for your works . The ancestor are usually the first to suffer from any mischance .
In addition , pathogens such as fungi and bacterium can recruit through combat injury , teardrop , or other damage .
Repotting can also scandalise your elephant ear , make it more susceptible to disease and pest , which are expected during the winter .
In plus , harm to the root organisation during repotting can also lead to root bunkum . As a result , you should fend off it in the wintertime .
Can Potted Elephant Ears Survive Winter?
Elephant ears in pots can live the winter , especially in temperate zones 8 through 11 .
However , the leafage will give way due to the icing and cold .
you’re able to protect your plant by bringing it inside or cover it with mulch . To avoid source rotting , keep the soil comparatively juiceless throughout the winter .
Do Elephant Ears Come Back After Winter?
The base of an elephant ear will bourgeon ears once the cold winter season is over .
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