Plant Care Library

Other Names:  Cocoyam, Dasheen, Taro

Group/Class:  Royal Hawaiian Series

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

An impressive variety producing large, sea green leaves, with contrasting white centers and purplish highlights, held up on dark red stems; a stunning garden or pondside accent plant for a tropical look

Ornamental Features

Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear is primarily valued in the garden for its cascading habit of growth. Its attractive large heart-shaped leaves remain bluish-green in color with showy white variegation and tinges of purple throughout the season. The dark red stems are very colorful and add to the overall interest of the plant.

Landscape Attributes

Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear is an open herbaceous perennial with a shapely form and gracefully arching foliage. Its wonderfully bold, coarse texture can be very effective in a balanced garden composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and should be cut back in late fall in preparation for winter. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 24 inches. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Royal Hawaiian® Tropical Storm Elephant Ear is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. It can be used either as 'filler' or as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination, depending on the height and form of the other plants used in the container planting. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.