Broken Elephant Ear

16 years ago

Hello, Not quite sure where to post this as Im new here...

Yesterday I accidentally broke my elephant ear at the base of the stalk. I was hoping to save it by putting it in water or replanting the stem. Does anybody know if this kind of transplanting works for elephant ear? I remember doing experiments in plant biology class of different types of transplanting, so Im hoping something will work!

Please help! This was one of my favorite house plants!!

Katie

Featured Answer

windclimber

16 years ago

The corm buried in the soil holds all of the energy for this Aroid.
I grow them in the summer and take them in for the winter.
I slice off 8 foot tall with four ft long EE's, and compost them in the fall.
Use something as sharp as a razor knife to cut close to the soil, I would clean up the "wound " and wait for the the next leaf to emerge!!
Tom

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Comments (10)

earlthepearl3333
16 years ago
hi. I have no anser to the question you're asking, but save the pot with the roots in it. There's a good chance that it will grow back from the roots.
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georgez5il
16 years ago
There is a bulb in the pot IF no other foliage is present then give the plant a rest 2-3 months then repot ,water & set in good light. The broken stem will not root.
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calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
16 years ago
This plant is sold as a bulb but when it grows ends up as large fleshy roots. In my garden it frosts to the ground in the winter and reappears when the soil warms. As a house plant I am sure it will soon send up new growth from the roots. Be careful to not keep the roots too wet while the plant has no foliage. Al
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organic_pappadopolis
16 years ago
lol,....you cant kill an elephant ear
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missg1981
11 years ago
HELP! Yesterday my husband bought me an elephant ear that had two leaves on it so I planted it on the south side of my house. Well this morning I check on it and our 4 month old dog tore the leaves on and left nothing but the stem. So I showed it to her and spanked her for it. I wanted to plant some more so I went to our local nursery and bought another elephant ear which this one was bigger than the one my husband bought me and it had 3 leaves on it I got it planted this afternoon and just went to check on it and the dog did the same thing and it's only the stem left. So I was just wondering will the leaves grow back and if so how long will it take and what can I do to make my dog stop tearing the leaves off of my plants?
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
11 years ago
i used to leash the puppy.. and walk them around the yard for weeks... proving to them that the grass was for them.. and the garden was mine ...

you really wouldnt throw a toddler child outdoors.. and hope for the best would you ....

you need to research a puppy training class ... it will greatly payoff in the long run ...

as to the plants.. they will most likely recover ... but your bigger issue.. is to get a full ID.. and insure they are not poisonous .. common names are sometimes confusing ....

ken
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Tiffany, purpleinopp Z8b Opp, AL
11 years ago
Hi Missg, welcome to GardenWeb!

I think your plants will grow back just fine, as long as they get the chance. You probably have Colocasia esculenta. Shouldn't be harmful to dogs, but tearing up your plants is obviously something you want to stop.

It is frustrating when your dog has gardening ideas that are in conflict with yours. Our great Dane doesn't seem to munch on plants but I do have to do a lot of weird-looking things to make sure he doesn't take a nap where seeds are sprouting, or walk around in beds in general.

Have you had a puppy before? What kind do you have? I don't know why one would tear or eat this plant in particular, but in general, they can't be left to their own devices unsupervised. Putting a little fence around the base of your EE's might help while puppy is learning. As you add new plants to your yard, I would use the same type of fence, so your dog gets to know the fence and its' contents means no, off limits. There is a pets forum if you'd like to read about or ask for some training ideas. For the particular thing about chewing/tearing up plants, it sounds like Ken might have more to share about his experiences. IME, just paying close attention and clapping loudly while saying "NO!" as loudly as necessary to be heard when you see unacceptable behavior works well, maybe a little squirt with the hose. Like when you see your pup start to touch the plant or fence. Then notice and praise good behaviors even more. Dogs that aren't taught anything have the most problems, and may not even recognize that you are in charge. Teaching them the same lesson every day for at least a week is usually enough for it to stick. When they know that you definitely are, what you want, they are much more secure and comfortable. A regular routine is good for dogs too.
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mccommas
11 years ago
I agree, you can't kill an Elephant Ear!
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HU-438007303
3 years ago
Elephant ear plants are poisonous to dogs. Keep dog away from these plants, once eaten by the dog their tongue could swell and block their air way which could cause them to die. Monitor your dog for tongue swelling and if it does swell take the dog to the vet immediately.
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