Bulbs - Elephant Ear
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  (February) I bought several large elephant ears from a yard sale this summer. Most have to be very root bound. I have just stored them in the basement for the winter season. Only a few of the leaves have died back, the rest are yellowing. When should I cut the remaining leaves off, when should I divide the bulbs, how should I get them ready to be potted and put out this spring? How should I care for them? 

  It would have been best to have let the plants go dormant in the fall, as you brought them in and then stored the bulbs. They are probably a little bit leggy now. This late, I hesitate to have them go totally dormant. Continue on as they are, and see what happens to the rest of the leaves. Don't over-water -- you don't want them to rot. Consider planting them in the ground outdoors this spring -- late April or so. If you want them as container plants, give them a larger container. In the ground they are usually hardy throughout most of the state. Divide them as you plant, or repot. They are fairly easy plants to grow, and like to be watered when dry during the summer.

  (August) My husband planted two bulbs of Elephant ears two years ago, and they have done well, but they lose almost as many leaves, as they produce. I water them at least every other day, but they are turning yellow. They are planted in a space next to a new garage, bordered by a walk-way on three sides. I say it’s the concrete surrounding them, plus they get full sun all day. I also feel they need some shade. I have also fed them Miracle Grow, which they love, but still lose the leaves. Can you advise? 

  While there are some elephant ears that can take full sun, when they are as hot as yours are, they probably would prefer a touch of shade. I prefer to plant them in a location with morning sun and afternoon shade, or dappled shade all day. Build up the soil with some organic matter, give them ample water, and you should have massive leaves, which don't turn yellow and shed early.

  (August) Will my "black" caladiums live through the winter in the ground or do I need to lift them like my regular caladiums? 

  These fancy Colocasia's, or dark elephant ears, are not considered winter hardy, so would need to be lifted and stored prior to a hard freeze.

  (September) I had two Elephant Ears that multiplied into 8 or 10 over six years in big pots, which we moved to the basement in winter. Last fall, we moved to a house with no basement or garage, so I dug up the bulbs, dried and stored them in sand. When I checked them this spring, the ones on the top had sprouted and were snaking through the lid of the box, and the bottom ones were rotting (I think the sand must have been damp), I planted them in buckets and six of them came up and were transplanted to the yard. All are doing well, considering, though rather smaller than the originals. My question is this: Is it worth going through the whole storage routine again, or should I just give up on these and buy new bulbs next spring? 

  Although you are borderline in Fayetteville, elephant ears have been over wintering in most gardens, if they are actually planted in the yard (not in containers now). You may want to do a test on a few this year. As soon as we have had a killing frost, cut off the old foliage and add an extra layer of mulch over them. Make sure the soil is well drained, and hopefully they will come back. If you want to dig a few to store (as a safety net) lift and cut off old foliage, shake off the old dirt and store in a box filled with shipping peanuts, shredded paper, or other porous substance. Don't use sand or soil, or they may try to grow. Store in a cool, dry place until spring. If the plants are still in containers, they would not be cold hardy.

  (October) I have about 30 banana trees in the yard. They have gotten very large this summer. I have been told that I can cut them off even with the ground and cover them with 12 to 14 inches of straw for winter. I had some earlier that I took up and put under the house, but they all froze that winter. What is the best way to care for these plants this winter? I also have several large elephant ear plants that I need to know how to winter.

  In my opinion, all banana trees should be lifted and stored for the winter. While it is true, that a few have made it through a couple of our winters, that is not something I would take for granted. However, since you have so many-give it a shot and compare with one or two. Banana trees are tropical plants, so within the next week or two, lift and store the majority of them. If you want to start with large trees, then don't cut them back. If you don't have the storage space, cut them back by half. I have used old sheets to wrap them up in, and then simply stack them in the crawl space. If yours froze in the crawl space, you may want to add some straw or other protection around them. The key is to keep them from reaching freezing temperatures. Some of our mild winters have given many of us a false sense of security for winter hardiness. I had a bougainvillea overwinter outdoors this past year -- and that should not have happened. For your elephant ears, most are reliably hardy in central Arkansas and further south. If you have invested in some of the pricey, showy varieties, you may also want to hedge your bet and store those.

  (November) My elephant ear showed tremendous growth this year and has outgrown its bed. Can the bulb be split and replanted in the spring? Is it better to let the plant die back naturally in the winter or should elephant ear bulbs be taken indoors during the winter months? If so, how do you store them.

  Most elephant ears have survived beautifully outdoors in Arkansas, so there should be no need to lift them. If you want to divide it, do so in the spring as it emerges. I wouldn't split the main bulb, but you can cut off any daughter bulbs which are attached. If the leaves are still green and healthy, let them grow until a frost, if they have started looking bedraggled, you can cut them off. Mulch after they are dormant. If you choose to lift and store, any time between now and a killing frost, lift them up, shake off the soil and let them air dry for a few days. Then store in peat moss, perlite, shipping peanuts or the like in a cool, dry place.

  I have several elephant ear plants in a bed. This fall, I am wanting to rework the bed. What is the best way to keep the bulbs through the winter for re-setting next spring? 

  Prior to the first killing frost, or immediately thereafter, dig up the elephant ears, cut off the old foliage, shake off the soil, and allow the bulbs to air dry for a few days. Then get a cardboard box and put down a layer of dry peat moss or potting soil down. Place the bulbs on this where they are not touching, then cover completely with the same medium. Store the box in a cool, dry place until you are ready to plant in the spring.

  Could you tell me the chemical make up of the water-like substance in an elephant ear plant? We were trimming some of the poorer branches from the plant today and noticed it was loaded with moisture. Thinking it was water, three grown adults put the substance to our tongues and mouths, but didn't swallow it. About 60 seconds later, we were all running for the water faucet! The water did no good as even an hour later our mouths were irritated. The substance seemed to penetrate through the skin and into the muscles of the tongue and cheeks. We thought for a while that maybe we had been poisoned and should go to the emergency room. Well, the majority of the discomfort finally subsided, but even six hours later, we can feel the irritation in our throats.

We are quite embarrassed about this. I can understand a child doing such a thing, but what about three adult males? I think we have learned a lesson. I hope that by tomorrow all symptoms are gone and there is no permanent damage. Maybe you should do a article on dangers of ingesting plant liquids, but perhaps we're the only ones in the world who would pull such a stunt. I look forward to hearing from you. 

  Elephant ears contain minute, sharp crystal bundles of calcium oxalate. This causes intense burning and swelling of the mouth and throat. Symptoms may include intense salivation, hoarseness, and difficulty in swallowing. They can also cause skin irritation and eye irritation if the juice gets in your eye. While not deadly, heavy infestations can cause intense swelling which can restrict breathing. As I am sure, you won't be eating them again, if anyone else should, give milk or ice cream to sooth the mouth and throat, or suck on ice chips to get some relief. You have shared an excellent example of not eating any wild plants or landscape plants or berries, unless you know specifically what they are and if they are edible. I hope this will prevent others from doing so.

  Is it possible to leave elephant ears in the ground as far north as Horseshoe Bend? When we lived in Texas, they overwintered outdoors, but since moving here I have been lifting them every fall. This is a job I would rather not do if possible. What do you think?

  The mentioned bulbs are considered questionable in north Arkansas, although many do leave them out year-round with success. The key is to cut off the foliage immediately following a killing frost, and then mulch them with several inches of leaves or pine needles. This extra protection should get them through, in all but the worst winters.

  Will elephant ears winter over here if well mulched or do they need to be dug and brought in? How and when should they be brought in if necessary?

Regular elephant ears, the traditional solid green ones, normally will take the winter fine. You need to cut the leaves off immediately following the first killing frost, then mulch for the winter. If you have the fancy elephant ears--those with colorful faces, narrower leaves, etc. they are not winter hardy, and would need to be dug in the fall along with caladium. Normally, I recommend just buying new caladiums every year, but some of these tropical elephant ear bulbs can be pricey, and worth the effort to dig and store. Lift the bulbs, cut off the spent foliage, and air dry for a few days. Then store the bulbs in a box filled with peat moss or perlite.

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