Elephant Ear

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Annette99

New Member
I know that the specialty food stores here that also carry plants have elephant ear bulbs for sale every spring. You could call around and ask.
 

plantlover

New Member
What you find in the grocery store is called Taro, but it isn't the same as the really nice Elephant ears. The named varieties will only be found at nurseries, or through other people who have them.
 

Dor

Active Member
Susan, are you Illustrias coming up yet? Mine haven't. I watered the area where I have them planted. They didn't do as well there last year. I may move them.
 

plantlover

New Member
Susan, are you Illustrias coming up yet? Mine haven't. I watered the area where I have them planted. They didn't do as well there last year. I may move them.

Nope, my Russian Red cannas are just starting to come up and the hibiscus are coming right along, and Rose of Sharon's are about to bloom, but none of my EE's are up yet. I thought I saw a little something in the pot where my Illustris is, trying to emerge. They seem to be coming up slower than anything else.
 

myfedora

New Member
Taro

So the taro really isn't elephant ear? Well poo. I guess that I am going to have to ask my nursery guy to get me one. Thanks everyone!
 

Crabbergirl

Super Moderator
Staff member
If you can wait a few weeks till they all pop up ( can't find them when they are not up) I would be happy to send you some. I have a swamp full of them all types. No giants though.
 

Blueaussi

New Member
So the taro really isn't elephant ear? Well poo. I guess that I am going to have to ask my nursery guy to get me one. Thanks everyone!

I apologize. I thought the article I linked to made that clear or I would have pointed it out.
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Can't you buy the root of the Elephant Ear in the grocery store? If so what is it called?

Yes!
You can buy the roots at your local grocery store! They are called Eddoes!
They grow into huge plants with leaves 18" by 14"!
They only come in green leaves though.
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
I thought Eddoes and Taro were the same thing?
I think the names denote a different cultivar!
I picked up a small Eddoe root last year for 68 cents! The tuber didn't take long to send up a shoot!
I used a large 2 gallon size pot, but this year I'll need a larger one due to the growth of the tuber (which tripled in size)!
Other names to look for are taro, eddoe, malanga, dasheen...
Here's a good article on them:
http://www.innvista.com/health/foods/vegetables/taros.htm
 

plantlover

New Member
So the taro really isn't elephant ear? Well poo. I guess that I am going to have to ask my nursery guy to get me one. Thanks everyone!

Walmart was selling them for about $2.50 a piece. You may want to get a smaller one because I seriously doubt that they will be hardy enough to come back each year if you keep them in the ground. Most EE's aren't hardy in the ground to zones colder than zone 7.
 

lynpenny

Super Moderator
Staff member
wow that was an informative article. Now I know a little more about ee's. I will think of them differently from now on. I didn't know you could eat them,
 

Flower4Yeshua

Super Moderator & vegemm
Staff member
I was sent some of the huge EE and just planted them...I also had no idea you could eat them...I have a bunch more to learn on them now...thanks all for the great information
 

RonsGarden

Super Moderator
Staff member
Here's a photo of mine before I potted it up for the season.
I had to use a larger pot then last year!
 

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myfedora

New Member
Ok I bought me an elephant ear and planted it. But how deep was I supposed to plant it? On the tag it said dig hole 4 inches deep and put in. I did that but my bulb was bigger than 4 inches. Does the bulb need to be completely covered? Mine is sticking up a little.
 

Dor

Active Member
I would completely cover it Myfedora. I don't usually plant mine that deep but I do cover them.
 


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