Elephant ears in container?
wizarama
17 years ago
Featured Answer
Sort by:Oldest
Comments (118)
wizarama
16 years agojustaguy2
16 years agoRelated Discussions
early sprouting bulbs
Comments (2)You could plant all the glads together in 1 large pot to save space for now. Separate and plant outside later,(June) when the soil warms up, ditto for Elephant E's. If planted too soon, when soil is still too cold, they will rot....See MoreStarting Elephant Ear indoors - container
Comments (2)I think a one gallon nursery container is as small as you can go with EE which are the size of a softball. Starting indoors is a good idea if you want an early start. Thse big bulbs will quickly rot in cold wet soil. They transplant into the garden with no problem. Al...See Moreneed help saving my elephant ears
Comments (8)Dorothy, The southern part of zone 6 would be 6B. I am not sure elephant ears would survive in a pot above the ground. It would depend on just how cold it gets, and you know how wildly variable Oklahoma weather can be. Having said that, though, our local weather forecasters here in southern Oklahoma tell us we are in a La Nina weather pattern, which tends to give us a warmer and drier than average winter. (For us here in extreme southern Oklahoma, this seems to be true so far, as we are still having daytime highs in the upper seventies to mid-eighties, and haven't had a killing freeze yet. No rain either.) One unfortunate aspect of a La Nina weather pattern as experienced here in Oklahoma, though, is that there are often some very cold though brief blasts of Artic Cold, so 'warmer and drier than average' doesn't mean there won't be some periods of extreme cold. In general, when I have a plant in a pot, I consider the plant in that pot to be one-half to one full zone colder than if in the ground. So, if you are in zone 6B, then your elephant ears in an above-ground container would be overwintering in at least zone 6A and possibly zone 5B. The reason is that the ground is a great insulator, and you lose much of that insulation value if you overwinter in a large above-ground container. If you have no choice about leaving the elephant ears in the container and leaving it outside, you could try to add extra insulation by placing lots of hay or bags of leaves around the container. You could pile a lot of mulch on top of the container. The elephant ears might make it and they might not. Be sure to water them occasionally, keeping them moist but not sopping wet, beacause plants that are very dry suffer freeze damage more easily. Caladium bulbs are tropical and need to be dug and overwintered in a non-freezing location. I have had caladiums survive only one year in the ground in the 9 years I've been in southern Oklahoma and I am in zone 7B. Even when I lived in Fort Worth, which is zone 8, caladiums seldom survived the winter in the ground. Hope this info helps. Dawn...See MoreElephant Ears in containers - any EEs or look-alikes more cold-hardy?
Comments (2)Hi EE gets my award as the most overused name right up the with "Lily" and "orchid like" lol There are hundreds of species plus many hybrids of several families all lumped together as Elephant ears. To my knowledge all are tropical none will tolerate freezing . I grow around 20 varieties . Since I live in s. florida never have freezes but they drop right at frost but return .If the ground froze I;d suspect they would rot?? Since there are sooo many types all called EE there may be some that I'm not aware of?? Certainly not in the main families of Alocasia Colocasia Xanthosoma ,Caladium. which are the usual kinds called EE Get a latin name and then you can look up the specific plant?? gary...See MoreOUTofSPITE
16 years agoamare_al_giardino
16 years agowizarama
16 years agojustaguy2
16 years agojustaguy2
16 years agofilix
16 years agoyong
16 years agomikeinmo
16 years agojustaguy2
16 years agoamare_al_giardino
16 years agoyipla (Zone 10a border with 10b)
16 years agojustaguy2
16 years ago1fullhouse
16 years agowiscobiscuit
16 years agodaesaflgatorfan
16 years agomarquest
16 years agogottagarden2
16 years agoOUTofSPITE
16 years agogottagarden2
16 years agoOUTofSPITE
16 years agoWendyB 5A/MA
16 years agoOUTofSPITE
16 years agostaceybeth
16 years agoOUTofSPITE
16 years agogirlndocs
16 years agosolstice98
16 years agosolstice98
16 years agojustaguy2
16 years agogirlndocs
16 years agohorizontee
15 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
15 years agohorizontee
15 years agojustaguy2
15 years agoces797
15 years agoPinky Santiago
8 years agolast modified: 8 years agoPinky Santiago
8 years agoPinky Santiago
8 years agoPinky Santiago
8 years agoTerri S
8 years agofievel38 zone 6b
8 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
8 years agofievel38 zone 6b
8 years agofievel38 zone 6b
8 years agoajs317
7 years agolast modified: 7 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
7 years agoajs317
7 years agotapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
7 years agoEllen Lerner
6 years ago
Related Stories
CONTAINER GARDENSWant an Easy Tropical Oasis? Think Container Plants
Tropical plants have taken one coastal community by storm. Come on a walk with us to get ideas for your own porch, patio or garden
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENS3 Steps to Creating Quick, Easy and Colorful Succulent Containers
Take a bright container, add a colorful succulent or two and have a professional, summery design in minutes
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENSCactus and Succulent Containers Are Ideal for Hot, Sunny Spots
Bring on the sun with these heat-loving succulent container gardens
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENS7 Deer-Resistant Flowers for Your Summer Containers
Grow these as protection for edibles or just for their colorful beauty — deer might not like them, but everyone else will
Full StoryGARDENING AND LANDSCAPINGPlant Containers Head Into Quirky Territory
From the whimsical to the odd, sculptural vases and planters add fun to indoor-outdoor decor
Full StoryFURNITURE10 Furniture Essentials for Small Spaces
Here are items to opt for when a full-size sofa would be the elephant in the room
Full StoryCOLORPick-a-Paint Help: How to Quit Procrastinating on Color Choice
If you're up to your ears in paint chips but no further to pinning down a hue, our new 3-part series is for you
Full StoryGARDENING GUIDESGrow a Beautiful Fall Garden in a Pot
Welcome autumn with 7 gorgeous plants that thrive in containers and enliven your porch or patio throughout the cooler season
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENSDIY Project: Prehistoric Planters That Bring Dinosaurs Back
Create these easy and fun planters for your home or to give as gifts
Full StoryCONTAINER GARDENSHappy Houseplants, Happy People
Potted plants add life and beauty to a room. Learn easy ways to keep them healthy
Full Story
hitexplanter