skip to main content

Elephant Ear is flowering!

19 years ago

Has ANYONE ever had an elephant ear flower? I have 4 VERY large bulbs that I put in this spring and two of the bulbs now have flowers....Large flowers! I have NEVER seen this before and didn't even know that it was possible. One of the flowers is yellow long cone shaped and I assume will get taller b/c it's still opening up. The other just came out this morning so I can't tell what color it is. My friend who has been gardening for 20+ years has never had this happen. I am sooooo happy!!!!

Anela

p.s. I took some pics. yesterday when I discovered it, will take more today and try to post.

Featured Answer

ctnchpr

9 years ago

Hi Sylvia,

Your EE blooming means you're doing everything right - it wouldn't waste energy on flowers if it wasn't healthy.

This is one of my Thai Giant elephant ears last year, already with 11 blooms. If my memory is correct, it ended up with 15 blooms...

Here are 2 seed pods from another Thai giant in 2012...

{{gwi:392813}}

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

lotsaplants
19 years ago
That is really cool! You should check with the Aroid forum....they know lots about E.E.s and can tell you how unusual it is. I've sure never had it happen.
Sharon
Anela
Original Author
19 years ago
Thanks I posted it there, but I will post pictures here also
Anela
Related Discussions
HAVE: have ; large fragrant stargazer lilies and more....
Q
Comments (9)
Hey I'm glad you replied quickly I have spring fever don't you? I know exactly where my inamitable is cause its right on the end and my little wine cup is by the back door and so are my dianthus I have 3 patches of mixed dianthus but the other 2 are not going to found until they bloom how about your bulbs how soon and easy are they to find and how many bulbs round about do you figure you can trade we might can do this pretty soon and actually see their blooms this year that would be good but I would protect my daylily through the rough winter maybe in a pot then plant it in spring or we can wait until spring to dig your choice.gotto go to work hope to hear back soon susan
...See More
Online Source for Unusual Plants
Q
Comments (4)
I hate to be a wet blanket, but the plants you are naming all require thoroughly warm soil and very hot air temps before they start growing. I live in the deep south, and I can tell you that these three cannot/will not be hurried. However, once the heat arrives, they grow FAST. It has been my experience that I always get larger plants locally than by mail, not to mention for far less money.
...See More
have; hollyhocks,columbine,astilbe,blackeyed susan,
Q
Comments (1)
Hi Tina, Hope u r well. Its been since last spring that we traded. Let's trade Again!! I'll send u an email. Thank.
...See More
A companion plant question, flowering Elephant Ears ..
Q
Comments (3)
Ah yes, they do flower. They like a lot of water, and rich soil, because they are really heavy heavy feeders. If it is blooming, it is a happy plant. If it goes dormant in the winter, you can separate the new tubers into another pot. They can spread quite far in the ground. We are a lot warmer in winter than your zone, but still the ones planted in the garden are subject to freeze damage. They melt down after a freeze to be a pile looks like elephant poop, and that seems to protect the bulb or tuber from itself freezing. Then next spring like a Phoenix rising from its ashes, a new shoot comes through the rotted organic matter. I generally cover it with a lot of pine straw, and then if it is raining a big plastic tarp over that should it be freezing rain. But they spread easily, and they grow back readily. If you want to discuss elephant ears specifically, take a look at another garden forum, Tropicalesque. You'll discover folks there who have tropical style gardens all over the country. But then, hosta look tropical-esque as well, with their strappy leaves and magnificent flower scapes. Fits right in.
...See More
smurfboy
17 years ago
my upright elephant ears are blooming, I have the green and black uprights, flowers are like those of a peace lily but longer and skinny. I had the regular elephant ear to set buds 3-4 years ago, but it got cold and they didn't have time to open up, the trunk of the elephant ear was the size of a small tree trunk, and I bet the plant itself weighed 150 pounds without dirt. I had lots of babies!
Jen26
17 years ago
Wow, I just noticed that mine are flowering, too. They are HUGE elephant ears, and like smurfboy's, have trunks the size of a small tree. The flowers are yellow, and look just like peace lily flowers, but much bigger. I bet the biggest is 12". They have a very strong fragrance, which I'm not sure if I like or not. These were EEs purchased last spring at Walmart, with no name other than "Elephant Ear." The bulbs were about the size of a softball, maybe smaller. They are giant, probably 6 or 7' tall and the individual leaves are up to 40". I have them in soil that's been heavily ammended with compost and I think they're pretty happy.
heifer32
9 years ago
I to have planted 2 elephant ear plants this summer. I bought my bulbs from walmart. I have had a flower come up 3 days ago. I now have another flower coming up on the same stock. I have never in my life seen this before. I am not doing anything special to my plant. I was wondering why and how does the elephant ear plant produce flowers. How rare is this?
I live in Southern Oklahoma. Can anyone give me any info on this. Thanks I am new to this site. I have planted elephant ears
before, but never had this happen. I am sooooo excited about this.
littlemean
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
I also have the elephant ears and I dig them up at the end of summer ever year and put them back out every spring . For the last five years all of mine have been blooming peace Lilly type flowers. But I have noticed that where they are blooming my leafs get smaller.
jackiewhite4350
7 years ago
What are we supposed to be doing with the EE flowers? I have a ton but don't want to kill them. Also an old man I work with said once the EE dies to take a clear piece of plastic and cover the ground over the bulbs and mulch thickly during the winter and I wouldn't have to dig them up. He said he has been doing it for years and his are doing perfect. I live in Alabama and we don't have bad winters. Thanks for your help.

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES 20 Favorite Flowers for Butterflies and Bouquets

By Marianne Lipanovich

Discover perennials and annuals that do double duty as butterfly magnets and versatile cut flowers

FLOWERS AND PLANTS Flowers of ‘Berlandiera Lyrata’ Surprise With a Subtle Chocolate Scent

By Susan J Tweit

This heat- and drought-tolerant Southern Plains native offers up daisy-like yellow blooms from spring to first frost

CONTAINER GARDENS 7 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

GARDENING GUIDES 8 Flowers That Dazzle With Fall Color

By J. Peterson Garden Design

From flaming orange to supersaturated purple, these blooming beauties will set your fall garden ablaze with vivid hues

GARDENING GUIDES Oh, Deer! 10 Native Flowers That Stand Up to the Herds

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

Keeping a garden amid hungry deer can be hard, but these plants should fare well

SHOP HOUZZ Houzz Products: Flower Power for Your Home

Make your home bloomin’ beautiful with floral-inspired accessories, wallpapers, fabrics and furnishings

LIFE Simple Pleasures: Put Your Records On

By Laura Gaskill

It’s cool to just relax on a recliner, delving deeply into tunes? Now that’s music to our ears

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Gaura Lindheimeri

By Noelle Johnson Landscape Consulting

Delicate, butterfly-shaped flowers ‘float’ above the foliage of this lovely, drought-tolerant perennial

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Walker's Low Catmint

By Annie Thornton

Prolific purple blooms, fragrant leaves, and cold-hardiness makes this a go-to plant for almost any garden

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Bulbine Frutescens 'Hallmark'

By Annie Thornton

Plant this low-maintenance succulent now for brilliant eye-catching orange blooms in spring

Sponsored

RTS Home Solutions

3 Reviews

BIA of Central Ohio Award Winning Contractor