by johnah on November 26, 2020
Elephant Ear Plant Types: Learn About Common Elephant Ear Plants
The common name “elephant ear” refers to the fact that these plants are all different from each other. They have very distinct shapes and colors.
These plants grow in many places around the world, but they’re most commonly found in Africa, Asia, Australia and South America. The elephant ear plant is native to tropical regions of Africa, India and Southeast Asia. There are several species of elephant ear plant, but only three are considered to be common in North America. The others are Cercis canadensis (commonly called the Indian elephant ear) and Colocasia esculenta (the African elephant ear). All three species have very distinctive characteristics.
Common Elephant Ear Plant Types: Learn About Common Elephant Ear Plants
Cercis Canadensis – Commonly Known As The Indian Elephant Ear or The Black-Eyed Susan Tree
Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Cercis canadensis is native to India, Bangladesh and Nepal. It grows up to 15 feet tall with a spread of 10 feet.
Its trunk is covered with long thin hairs which give it its name. The plants leaves are divided into leaflets that are themselves divided into linear lobes. The flowers are a pinkish-purple color and grow in clusters at the branch tips and have a black center which gives it its other common name, the “Black-Eyed Susan Tree”. The fruit is a long thin pod that ripens to brown. These trees are used as ornamental landscape plants but also serve as food for wildlife such as quail, wild turkey and deer. They are also popular trees for butterfly gardens.
Colocasia Esculenta – Commonly Known As The Eculent Elephant Ear Or The Eddo Plant
Colocasia esculenta is also native to southern Asia. It is a much larger plant than the Black-eyed Susan Tree.
It can grow up to 10 feet tall with a spread of 8 feet. This plant has large triangular leaves that are dark green, sometimes with purple tinting on the edges. The leaf stalk is thin and can reach a length of up to 3 feet. The plant also produces large black flowers that have a yellow center (again giving it the “Black-eyed Susan” name). The plants produce pods that are around 1 inch in diameter and contain several seeds. These plants are mainly ornamental but also used for food, mainly in Asian cuisine.
Alocasia sanderiana – Commonly Known As The Elephant Ear Or Ceylon Spinach
Alocasia sanderiana is native to the tropical regions of Southeast Asia. It has large triangular leaves that are between 2 and 3 feet long and half that in width.
The plants produce small white flowers that grow on a thin spike that reaches up to 6 inches high. This plant is also used mainly as an ornamental, but the leaves are edible when cooked.
Where Can I Buy Elephant Ears?
If you’re looking for a specific type of elephant ear, or just want to see a large variety to pick from, your local garden center should have exactly what you need. But if you’re looking for something a little different, or just want to browse a huge assortment, the internet is the way to go. A quick search will reveal several online nurseries that sell all types of elephant ears.
You can also check local outdoors or garden stores in your area. Many smaller stores carry at least a few varieties, and if they don’t, they may be willing to order them for you.
Nurseries and garden centers are great places to go and browse as well, as you can see the different types of plants they have to offer. It’s even better if you can go when they are busy, as you can talk to the staff and ask for their suggestions on which varieties of elephant ears will work best in your garden.
When buying your plant, be sure to look for healthy green leaves as well as no evidence of insects or disease. If you are buying your plant online, be sure to look for photos that show the plants clearly so you can determine the health of the specimen before purchasing.
Elephant ear plants are a great way to add an interesting focal point as well as shade to your yard. They can grow to be quite large, so make sure you have enough space to accommodate them.
They can also get quite heavy when the soil gets dry, so it’s best to water them properly so they don’t get damaged.
With proper care and maintenance, you’ll have healthy thriving elephant ears for many years to come!
The Importance Of Light In Your Garden
Light is vital for all plants to grow and while most plants require at least some sunlight to survive, others need much more, and this is especially true for the different types of orchids that you may want to grow. If you are growing them indoors, then the amount of light that they receive will be much more important.
If they do not get enough, they will not grow and they may even die.
The Different Types Of Orchids
There are over 20,000 different types of orchids and they come in many shapes, sizes and colours. And while some do indeed require lots of sunlight, others can survive with less.
Typically the ones that require less sunlight are the ones that adapt better to human environments, such as the phalaenopsis, or moth orchid. These types can be found in a variety of colours and they generally grow up to a foot in height. Typically they have a flowering spike that can grow up to three feet in height, although they can bloom up to six times every year when conditions are right.
Types That Require Little Light
If you do want to grow orchids but don’t have access to lots of sunlight, then there are certain types that can still survive. The types that can adapt to lower light conditions include the dendrobium and the cymbidium.
The dendrobium is typically grown for its beautiful leaves and its compact stem, while the cymbidium is more known for its large showy flowers. Both of these are great for growing indoors.
Types That Need Somewhere In-Between
If you do have access to some sunlight for your orchids, then you will get much better results. The phalaenopsis and the oncidium are two types that will grow larger flowers and typically bloom more than once a year.
The phalaenopsis is typically grown for its long lasting flowers while the oncidium is more known for its fragrance.
So if you’re growing orchids indoors and are wondering which types will grow best, then just find out how much sunlight you can provide for them and choose from the list above.
One of the most popular and easiest to grow plants are the Kalanchoe. They’re also known as a florist’s plant as they tend to be very cheap and affordable.
These are very interesting as they have many different types and sub-species. They come in many colours and shapes, ranging from yellow to pink to red to even brown and black. They’re also very interesting due to the fact that they can carry both flowers and fruit at the same time. These plants are very hardy and can grow even when they are neglected for long periods of time.
The Kalanchoe Blossom produces beautiful flowers that can range from yellow to pink and red. They typically have a crown of thorns surrounding the flower, which helps to protect it from hungry insects.
The petals are typically a mixture of yellow and orange along with having a red centre. These plants thrive in warmer temperatures but can survive colder ones as long as they’re not left in the cold for very long periods of time. These plants typically grow to a height of around two feet and produce flowers that can range from one to three inches. Due to its attractive flowers, the Kalanchoe Blossom is very popular among gardeners who want to add a splash of colour in their garden.
The Kalanchoe Tinctoria is a beautiful plant which is typically a dark green colour with yellow spots all over. It also has gorgeous flowers that come in shades of yellow, orange and red.
It is very popular among gardeners due to its great colour scheme and its gorgeous flowers.
The Kalanchoe Daigremontiana is a beautiful plant which is green with brown spots all over. It also has gorgeous yellow flowers that come in a clover shape with a red centre.
It typically grows to be about one and a half feet tall and thrives in warmer temperature. It can also survive colder temperatures as long as it’s not left in colder conditions for too long. These plants are very popular among gardeners who want to have some beautiful flowers in their garden that can withstand cold weather.
The Kalanchoe Pinnata is a great plant for people who like the colour green. This plant typically has large light green leaves with darker green stripes.
These plants are also available with yellow, red and purple leaves. This plant typically grows to be about one foot and has small white flowers which can range from one to two inches in diameter. These plants are available year round and typically don’t need to be watered too much. They’re also great for people who like colder weather as they can withstand frost and light snowfall.
The Kalanchoe Tubiflora is a beautiful plant which flowers all year round.
Sources & references used in this article:
Evaluation of aquatic plants for constructed wetlands by D Surrency – … Wetlands for Water Quality Improvement. Lewis …, 1993 – books.google.com
Neuropharmacological activity of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta by M Kalariya, S Parmar, N Sheth – Pharmaceutical biology, 2010 – Taylor & Francis
Elephant memories: thirteen years in the life of an elephant family by C Moss – 2012 – books.google.com
Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of leaves of Colocasia esculenta on marble-burying behavior in mice: Implications for obsessive–compulsive disorder by M Kalariya, R Prajapati, SK Parmar… – Pharmaceutical …, 2015 – Taylor & Francis
Feeding rates of an introduced freshwater gastropod Pomacea insularum on native and nonindigenous aquatic plants in Florida by P Baker, F Zimmanck, SM Baker – Journal of Molluscan Studies, 2010 – academic.oup.com
Making public the private life of plants: The contribution of informal learning environments by DL Sanders – International Journal of Science Education, 2007 – Taylor & Francis
The feeding behaviour of elephant (Loxodonta africana) in the Sengwa area Rhodesia by V Roodt – 1998 – Shell Oil Botswana
Foraging site recursion by forest elephants Elephas maximus borneensis by PR Guy – South African Journal of Wildlife Research-24-month …, 1976 – journals.co.za
Cognitive behaviour in Asian elephants: use and modification of branches for fly switching by M English, M Ancrenaz, G Gillespie… – Current …, 2014 – academic.oup.com
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