All Ears: Exciting elephant ears for tropical enthusiasts

Splash into summer with big changes for your garden. Replace the mundane with extraordinary; bulk up the understated with sophistication and the miniscule with enormity. Intensify modest mainstays with the heft and grandeur of intricate tropicalismo. Think huge; think colossal; think elephant ears. And not just the classic sea-green and purple taros. Elephant ears have a come a long way after all, stampeding their way from tropical forests in Indonesia, to breeding labs in the U.S., where new and electrifying varieties continue to be discovered, improved, and cultivated for extended use in landscapes and patios. Where before it seemed we could only choose between giant Alocasias and their standard water-loving cousins, Colocasia esculenta, we can now pick ears drooping with tart lemon-lime, speckled mint and amethyst, marbled cream and emerald, and solid black and purple. We can decide on heart-shaped ears or narrow spears, and select freshly polished shells, both waxy and waffled, or opt for smoother, even facades. The possibilities are endless, and the options are wide; keep your ears to the ground, and you will no doubt find the variety best suited for your patio, pond, or garden.

Have You Heard?

Now Hear This:

‘Giant Upright’ elephant ears (A. macrorrhiza), no doubt leviathans in the landscape, tower 12 to 15 feet tall, while spreading their massive bodies almost 10 feet wide. Their broad, thick sculpted leaves emerge from stout, chunky green stalks, and span up to six feet across, creating a dramatic effect with their giant nodding heads. Native to Sri Lanka, India, and Malaysia, ‘Giant Upright’ Alocasias grow naturally as understory trees, providing added canopies to tropical forests and streams. Hardy to 25 degrees F, this tender herbaceous perennial thrives in partial sunlight and moist, but well-drained soil. A. macrorrhiza ‘Variegata’, a tantalizing twist on the classic emerald green, sports the same corpulent leaves, but flaunts rich, creamy vanilla swirls—a scintillating variation to the original. Create sultry summer displays around water gardens and patios by integrating ‘Giant Upright’ amid Japanese maples, ‘Hope’ philodendrons, dwarf Cyperus, and Louisiana irises. Include also canna lilies and ‘Variegated Shell’ gingers to further heighten the show.

‘Mojito’ (C. esculenta ‘Mojito’), another outstanding selection, is a compact, clumping cultivar that averages three feet in height. Discovered at Agri Starts in Florida (a biological technology company, specializing in tissue culture), ‘Mojito’ is a stunning sport of ‘Burgundy Stem’ and ‘Black Marble’. Rightly named after the trendy Cuban cocktail, ‘Mojito’ bears invigorating minty green leaves flecked with wine. Enhance your patio or poolside by mixing this stimulating cultivar amid other hip varieties like ‘Coffee Cup’ and ‘Midnight’.

Saturate corners in large shade beds with ‘Metallica’ Alocasias. These beefy beauties soar up to eight feet in height, while plodding their enormous trunks four feet across. As its name suggests, the intensely rippled leaves of ‘Metallica’ exude opulent sheens of bronze and black. Its luxuriant waxy polish brilliantly drips along the stems as well, lavishly coating them in Chianti and near black hues. Plush pewter serves as a veneer for the undersides of the leaves, gorgeously complementing the plant’s entirety. Where space allows, offset ‘Metallica’ with ‘Giant Upright’ Alocasias, or use them as backdrops for ‘Hilo Beauty’ and ‘Black Stem’.

‘Hilo Beauty’, perfect for patio pots or pocket-sized beds, is a low-growing Alocasia that reaches only three to four feet tall. Eight to 12-inch-long ears are splotched with mosaic patterns of apple green, butter, and vanilla, and hang proudly from slender, three-foot stems. Plant ‘Hilo Beauty’ singly in containers, or create a captivating display in your landscape by integrating it with elephant ears like ‘Midnight’, ‘Mickey Mouse’, and ‘Coffee Cup’. Heighten your beds further with caladiums like ‘Carolyn Whorton’, ‘Red Flash’, ‘Postman Joyner’, and ‘Red Frill’.

If your garden needs a jolt this summer, try giving it a lift with ‘Coffee Cup’ Colocasias. Discovered in the wild by Indonesian botanist Gregory Hambali, these classy elephant ears sport glossy olive green leaves that fold upward. Their slim purple-black stems caress these inimitable cups as they impress the undersides with streaks of merlot. During rain showers, the cups fill with water, and the stems give just enough, allowing the leaves to pour their catch before filling again. ‘Coffee Cup’ averages four to six feet tall, and prefers damp, fertile soil. Let this fascinating cultivar take center stage in containers, or integrate it in beds with ‘Midnight’, ‘Mojito’, and ‘Hilo Beauty’.

‘Midnight’ Colocasias, offshoots of ‘Violet Stem’, stand only 18 to 24 inches tall, making them perfect for patio containers, small bogs, and water gardens. Their deep black foliage and equally dark petioles evoke the night sky. Prominent silver veins bolt like lightening across the leaves, creating the appearance of sharp x-rays at a distance. Incorporate ‘Midnight’ Colocasias with ‘Mickey Mouse’, ‘Hilo Beauty’, and ‘Coffee Cup’. Include also trailing purple Ruellia, Lysimachia ‘Creeping Jenny’, and ‘Tropicanna’ canna lilies to amplify your show. Energize your garden with the childlike fervor of ‘Mickey Mouse’ elephant ears (Xanthosoma ‘Albo Marginata’). Averaging only two to three feet tall, ‘Mickey Mouse’ yields pointed arrow-like leaves that emerge mottled with buttery yellow and grey, before turning white and emerald green. A tiny pocket holds a tail at the tip of the leaves, allowing it to catch water, much like ‘Coffee Cup’, but on a smaller scale. Integrate ‘Mickey Mouse’ with cultivars like ‘Midnight’, ‘Mojito’, and ‘Metallica’. Complete the show with caladiums like ‘Carolyn Whorton’, ‘Candidum’, and ‘White Wing’. ✦