Plant Min Zone: 6b
Plant Max Zone: 11b
Sunlight: Full Sun, Part Sun
Water / Rainfall: Average, High, Very High
Soil Quality: Average, Rich
Bloom Season: Summer
Flower Color: White, Cream
Berry / Fruit Color: Red
Spring Foliage Color: Dark Green
Summer Foliage Color: Dark Green
Fall Foliage Color: Dark Green
Evergreen Foliage: Some
Winter Interest: No
Scented Flowers: No
Drought Tolerance: Low, Medium
Wet-Feet Tolerance: High
Humidity Tolerance: High
Wind Tolerance: Low
Poor Soil Tolerance: Clay Soils
Height: 3' - 6'
Width: 3' - 6'
Growth Rate: Medium, Fast
Service Life: Short: 1-3 years
Maintenance Need: Medium
Spreading Potential: Medium
Yearly Trimming Tips: Trim Perennial to Ground Around First Fall Freeze: No Winter Interest.
Plant Grouping Size: Specimen Planting of 1-3, Small Grouping of 3-5
Best Side of House: South Exposure
Extreme Planting Locations: Base of Retaining Wall Locations, Resistant to Rabbits, Tolerates Extreme Heat
Ornamental Features: Large Tropical Foliage / Flowers, Exceptional / Colorful Foliage
Special Landscape Uses: None
Possible Pest Problems: None
Plant Limitations: May get Occasional Winter-kill, Needs Regular Irrigation, Needs Thick Winter Mulch, Late to Emerge or Leaf Out in Spring, May be Poisonous
Odora Elephant Ear (Alocasia odora) is typically grown in warmer zones and features giant glossy green leaves creating quite a contrast for other colorful flowers in the garden. Most alocasia are large tropical and subtropical herbaceous perennials with a giant tubers native to areas with a summer monsoon and dry winter. Along with other tropicals and succulents in Kansas, elephant ears are usually grown as summer patio plants. Fertilize, water regularly, and place in full sun. Protect from temperatures below 28 degrees F and move into a cold garage or basement over the winter with minimal watering. Do not allow the pot with rootball to freeze solid or go below 25 degrees for more than a few hours. Allow to go dormant as needed with little care, just cut off dead foliage and place back out in April or May with a time-release fertilizer. Many plants will die back slowly and remain attractive inside for most of the winter. You may also plant these in the ground for an enormous tropical effect! It is possible to overwinter these in the ground in Kansas by placing a giant 12-18" mound of mulch over deeply planted rhizomes. New growth will usually be delayed until June but quickly regains full height. In our trial gardens in Lawrence, KS (zone 6a), three established specimens planted over 12" deep and mulched 6-12" with leaf mulch survived -17 degrees F. During the arctic blast of February, 2021, lows down to -17 degrees F on Feb 16th, 2021 were recorded. The longevity of this cold blast was also impressive: 10 days on a row with highs of 10-15 degrees F or lower, 8 nights of lows in the single digits and negatives, and 36 strait hours of 0 degrees F and mostly lower.