Love these things. I fear they will take the house over some day. They are hardy in zone 8. Freeze back but come back in the spring if well mulched.
elephant ears
you're as bad as Kyle! do you know how much work I'm going to have to do because of these pictures??
Do you need any elephant ears?
I have the regular ones and the imperial, don't have any uprights.
Barb - I'm zone 8 1/2 with spots of 9. We get a lot of rain in the winter with occasional frost. Think they'd survive here?? How much mulch do you add??
Liz, I have regular green EE's that stay in the ground here in zone 7.
Liz,
They would do great there. We get down to 15 degrees. I use about 6" pinestraw mulch. email me if you want some.
In zone 7?? I never knew. Everybody brings them in here.
15F - I can't remember it being that cold here - we moan if it goes below 32F. Thanks for the heads up - I'm surrounded by fir trees - I'll try fir boughs. Cool! One more thing not to bring in.
Which type are the ones on the right? They are awesome! I don't have uprights either. I have grown the plain green for years. Thanks to Cala, I now have the violet stem and Black Magic Taro and I finally broke down and bought a pot of African Mask. I need to start saving for Nancy's Revenge! Way too cool!!
Badseed,
It is Colocasia esculenta 'Antiquorum Illustris' or 'Imperial Taro' The more sun the darker the splotches become.
are those hardy? I have a couple teeny ones, and would love to know before i plant them out.
I will have some uprights later this fall.....if some of you can't live without them!!;-)
I can't:) especially after this wonderful new book I got. I won't sleep for planning!
Tig,
They are hardy at zone 8 and that is all I know. Some of the other folks may have the answer for you.
I may test one and bring in the others. I'm one county away from zone 8. :(
OH NO!! I can feel it coming on - another addiction. What is the best time of the year to order these things? Fall or Spring??
OH MY GOSH! What a beautiful tropical garden! I ordered my first couple of elephant ears through the co-op forum. I know they won't be alone for long. I love them! Gotta have lots of varieties :~)
Do you think I'll have to dig them up during the wintertime in zone 7? We do get frost on the grass, but NOT hard freezes for any length of time.
Shirley, I'm in zone 7, sounds like the same kind of winters. I leave mine in the ground. always have. and I don't mulch them. you might mulch the first winter, just so you don't come looking for me:) but I think they'll be fine.
Love that picture Bward!!!
tiG........so what is the book that you keep alluding to??? Inquiring minds want to know!!!
it's called The Exotic Garden, and it tells how to put together to get this wonderful look. I have studied every picture and started reading it last night. Looks like it will be my close companion until spring,
oooooo how pretty!
Thanks tiG. I'm going to start growing these wonder exotic looking plants. Just to be on the safe side, I better mulch them well for their "winter nap", just to be on the safe side.
Do you know the author of "The Exotic Garden"? Did you get it at a book store or on-line?
it's by Richard Iversen, I got this copy from a dear man, new good friend, into hybridizing, very cute he says:) it really is a great book. It has all the plants, how to put them together, how to plan a tropical garden with different looks, tons of pictures. Really worth finding. Try half.com and see if you can find it or maybe ebay.
Thanks tiG! I'm going to look into getting that book :~) I'll let you know what develops.....thanks again for this invaluable information and good reading!
Shirley1...she got the book from me!! AHEM!!! and I am rather goodlooking also! **WINK**... :-)
well, okay, you are. credit where credit is due:) like I said, you look like my DH, you wouldn't believe the similarity.
I love those! I only have some plain green ones so far and this is the second year I've had them. I have mine in pots and last fall I took them to my MIL's basement. Watered only sparingly whenever I got to her house. This spring they started growing again with some watering and sunshine. I was wondering if I could dig them and store them dormant somehow. I might try that with a couple this year. And, I can see already by looking at this photo, there's many other kinds out there for me to play with eventually. LOL!
Thanks tiG, I bought a copy of The Exotic Garden on www.half.com! Can't wait until it arrives!!!
I have one for y'all who live in zone 7 and colder: It is "Hot Plants for Cool Climates" by Susan A. Roth and Dennis Schroder. Wonder book packed with information on tropical and tropical-looking (wanna-bees) plants, for those of us who DON't reside in the tropics!
P.S. Sorry Dave, next time I'll post the thread in the Book Forum....however, there will always be SOME overlap :~)
Shirley, we stayed on topic:) glad you got a copy, it's wonderful. I can't get enough of this book.
I love these. I only have one green one.