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

recover fresh plants to have throughout your garden can sometimes be easier say than done . Do you require to try grow elephant ear but do n’t make love whether they ’re invasive or not ? Are these plants loosely aggressive towards other mintage nearby ?

Well , we ’ve done mickle of inquiry and have the answers to these doubtfulness below . allow ’s get into them !

No . you’re able to broadly speaking bear elephant ear within North American landscapes to be non - encroaching . Although this species is not native to North America , it has become neutralize over the year .

With that said , elephant ears can " invade " sure spaces due to their big foliage , often blocking the Dominicus from the plants underneath them .

So , if you want to grow elephant pinna but do n’t want to have other plants in your landscaping suffer , we commend giving them some space .

As we begin , we will wrap up all things elephant ear grow and discuss whether this metal money is invasive to your other plant . If you ’re new to this flora , have one in your yard , or want to learn more about them , you ’re at the right place . With that said , let ’s plunk mightily into this matter below !

Are Elephant Ears An Invasive Species?

No . Elephant ears are not typically incursive toNorth Americanecosystems . However , this plant can become somewhat of an invader because of its size and foliage , hence the disarray .

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

Typically , elephant ears are more of a electroneutral 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 advocate planting elephant ear beside a little , more slight plant , as this is a formula for invasion .

you may also section off your elephant ear to keep them growing in one area , so there are tidy sum of ways to have them alongside other species within your landscaping .

How Do You Keep Elephant Ears From Spreading?

The best means to prevent elephant ears from distribute is to spray all aerial parts with an herbicide . Doing this will keep your industrial plant from getting bigger or expanding its canopy , ultimately helping whatever ’s growing beside or under it .

you may expect this to be a slow process , but if you ’re vigilant , it will be successful . tightlipped monitoring and patience are key to keep an elephant ’s ear at bay .

Furthermore , you’re able to also prune your elephant auricle every few weeks / months to keep it from spreading , so there are a twosome of way to do this .

Sometimes , it might even be beneficial to remove total elephant ears if they become too overgrown in your garden . This all depends on the leg of their growth .

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Where Are Elephant Ears Native To?

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

As we say , this specie is neutralize here in the United States , and throughout North America , so it wo n’t be necessarily trespassing .

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

disregarding , elephant spike have a go at it tropical weather . This species is also a staple in tropical countries for its eatable starchy corms or tubers , so that ’s interesting .

If you live inFlorida , you might notice a massive number of elephant ears rise near Fernandina Beach , which has become a hub for the flora species .

Elephant ears have become so predominant across Florida that many misidentify them for grass !

Where Do Elephant Ears Grow Best?

The best post to originate elephant pinna would be USDA zones10 - 11 . As we covered above , these plants prefer topical climate and do n’t do well in the common cold .

You desire to try and mature these in place with condition similar to Southeast Asia .

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

However , you’re able to sometimes produce elephant capitulum as annuals in cooler clime , but you will need to replant them every year .

In general , though , elephant ears will take back each year or stay green 365 days , count on how tropic your grow climate is .

Do Elephant Ears Multiply?

Yes , it is potential and vulgar for elephant ears to multiply . That said , you will belike call for to separate your elephant ear bycuttingthe genus Tuber into pieces and then replanting them .

It ’s also essential to guarantee a " corm " inside the genus Tuber , which is comparable to the eyes of a potato . In contrast , you wo n’t likely see elephant ears multiply in horde without you propagating , so they should n’t take over a garden independently .

Like any plant species , elephant ears will expand in size and potentially stock other plants from the soil nearby .

You also want to factor in the mood where you live , as that can affect the chances of your plant growth and manifold rapidly .

Warmer weather condition for long periods typically means more elephant ear ontogenesis .

Should I Cut My Elephant Ears Back?

If you notice the elephant ear in your 1000 become too gravid for their current spot , that ’s a good clip for pruning . As we enounce to begin with , you could prune these plants to be modest , which can help prevent invading behaviors .

Many experts also commend prune back elephant pinna if you live on incolderclimates . you may store their tubers indoors during the winter weather and replant them once natural spring hits .

Again , you want to remember that elephant capitulum will die if you leave them outside in weather condition below 60 degrees Fahrenheit , so that ’s something to be cognisant of .

Some people liken the overwintering unconscious process of dahlias to elephant ears , as they ’re very similar , so if you have those two species in your garden , examine to treat them and bring them indoors or cultivate them .

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

Do Elephant Ears Grow Better In Pots Or The Ground?

you may expect an elephant ear to grow well anywhere it has enough space . For exercise , if you resolve you require your elephant ear in a mass / planter , it require to belargeenough to sustain its roots .

The same kick the bucket for the basis , so avoid growing elephant ears or other plant specie too close to each other . Doing this can also prevent perhaps trespassing behavior , so it ’s a win - win .

Many experts urge having elephant capitulum in larger pots as they dry out out slower . That means you do n’t have to water your plant frequently , which is always upright .

It ’s imperative to systematically keep the ground near an elephant ear moist , as this will aid in a hefty plant for class to come .

So , we recommend using a pot no smaller than 10 - 12 inches for a new plant .

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How Big Do Elephant Ears Get?

you may expect a mature elephant ear to reach anywhere from three to six feet tall . you could also wait the spread of your elephant ear to be around the same as its summit , so this industrial plant can be massive .

Of course , the size of your works depends on how well you care for it . moreover , elephant ears wo n’t become very prominent if they do n’t know somewhere tropic , so that play a role too .

In universal , as long as your plant catch enough sunshine , and moisture , and has infinite to grow and mature , it will become quite expansive .

The territory your elephant ear is in should also be more acidic , ideally having a pH of5.5 - 7.0 . If you’re able to test and quicken these conditions in your own backyard , it ’s possible to see your plant become six feet tall within a few geezerhood .

Do Elephant Ears Live A Long Time?

Depending on where they go , elephant ears can last indefinitely . Considering this species is technically perennial in tropical growing zone , you may expect one to live for years if the weather ’s dainty .

On the other bridge player , if you are somewhere with freezing winters , your elephant auricle wo n’t see more than one year outdoors . So , a sound way to keep one alive is to play it inside during wintertime .

Many mass have elephant ear as houseplant , so if you want to have one but do n’t live in the correct USDA zona , you’re able to certainly grow one indoors year - round .

To Finish

Whether you have an elephant ear plant growing in your garden or desire to get one , it ’s crucial to know whether this coinage is incursive or not .

as luck would have it , we found that an elephant ear wo n’t demonstrate invasive or aggressive tendencies throughout North America .   Furthermore , this species can be groom to stay on little if you regularly prune it , so that ’s what we commend for worried gardener .

Overall , elephant ear prefer tropical climates and are n’t difficult to keep , so if you require a unique metal money in your landscape , they ’re worth considering .

Made it to the goal ? insure out these other related to garden article below !

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