Species of Elephant Ear Plants
- Taro hails from the swamps of Southeast Asia, where it was cultivated as a food source for more than 6,000 years. The plant boasts heart-shaped, broad leaves 2 to 3 feet long. The thick, succulent stems often have a purplish tinge. The tubers may be cooked and eaten like potatoes. The young leaves are edible, as are the young shoots. Taro should not be eaten raw, as all parts of the plant contain calcium oxalate, which irritates the stomach.
- A native of tropical South America, arrowleaf elephant ear grows up to 9 feet tall in optimal conditions. The plant produces pale-green leaves that sit atop long stems. The plant produces dense, starchy, edible corms with yellow or pinkish flesh. The corms should be cooked before eating. The corms may be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks after harvesting. Arrowleaf elephant ear does best in temperatures that are consistently in the 80s.
- Dwarf elephant ear is a low-growing variety reaching a mature height of about 2 feet. The plant produces velvety, dark-green leaves splotched in the center with silvery white. The leaf veins are bright green. Dwarf elephant ear works well as a container plant and is sometimes grown as a frost-tender annual where not hardy. Dig up the tubers in fall and bring them indoors until spring.
- Nurseries sell more than 200 taro cultivars as ornamental foliage plants. The cultivars are typically referred to as elephant ears. Varieties include Fontanesia, a cultivar with violet stems and burgundy veins and margins; Illustris, a variety marked with purple streaks; and Coffee Cup, a cultivar with cup-shaped leaves and blackish stems. Several cultivars are available with dark-purple, almost black leaves. These include Black Magic, Jet Black Gold and Jet Black Wonder.
