(Alocasia, Elephant Ear, Hilo Beauty Taro)

The mottled leaves of this stunning Alocasia are unlike any other. Each huge, heart-shaped leaf is rich green with beautiful, irregular, greenish yellow blotches and gentle wavy edges. During the growing season, 'Hilo Beauty' produces spathe and spadex flowers, but these are not particularly showy and overshadowed by glowing foliage of this tropical gem. The parentage of this cultivar is unknown.

Ornamental taro is best grown in partial sun to partial shade with protection from scorching...

(Elephant Ear, Portodora Elephant Ear)

The eye-catching, upward facing leaves of 'Portodora' are rich green, spade-shaped and have wavy edges. This hybrid seedling resulting from the cross between Alocasia odora and Alocasia portei makes a superb architectural component to the shade border. During the growing season, spathe flowers appear but are generally overshadowed by this hybrid's majestic and imposing foliage. Stems are thick, fleshy and seemingly muscular as they hold the massive wavy-edged leaves.

The Portodora...

(Alocasia, Elephant Ear)

Alocasia is a genus of about 70 huge-leaved species of tropical plants native to the warm, moist areas of southern Asia. They are usually perennial evergreens and have large rhizomes (underground lateral stems) or bulbs. The leaves are roughly oval with lobes at the base. Some are arrow-shaped and all have the petiole (leaf stem) attached inside the leaf edge. Large, prominent, variously colored veins often decorate the leaves. The leaves top long, variously-hued petioles which grow directly...

(Alocasia, Elephant Ear)

Named for the shape of its striking leaves, this large evergreen perennial makes a conversation piece for garden or greenhouse. Its slowly creeping underground rhizomes produce erect clumps of long-stalked leaves that have two broad, wing-like lobes and a terminal tail-like appendage, the whole resembling a stingray. The shiny, leather, ruffled leaves are rich green with paler undersides. Inconspicuous greenish blossoms with a central finger-like spadix and a clasping petal-like bract (spathe) may...

(Giant Caladium)

Giant caladium is a tropical perennial native to Malaysia and Borneo. It has large polished and glossy dark coppery, reflexed leaves with raised midribs borne on short to long petioles as dictated by temperature, soil fertility and moisture. Leaf undersides are an alluring coppery red-purple. During the growing season purple spathe flowers do appear but are generally overshadowed by foliage.

Giant caladium grows best in full to moderate shade protected from scorching midday and afternoon sun...

(Purpleleaf Elephant Ear, Purpleleaf Taro)

Lush, beautiful plants, Alocasia impart a tropical feeling wherever planted. Choose locations with part to full shade and organic, well drained soil.

There are potential health concerns regarding this plant. To learn more go to http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/poison/Alocasp.htm

(Giant Elephant Ear)

Unusual upright leaves mark this tender evergreen perennial from Indonesia and New Guinea. Its slowly creeping underground rhizomes send forth short fleshy trunk-like stems. Each "trunk" bears several narrow, lance-shaped, long-stalked leaves with distinctively scalloped margins. The stiff, waxy, dark green leaves have burgundy-purple undersides and purple-mottled stems. Inconspicuous greenish blossoms with a central finger-like spadix and a clasping petal-like bract (spathe) are sometimes borne...

(Giant Elephant Ear)

The thick yellow stems that angle upward from the underground rhizome contrast the satiny green of the large leaves magnificently on cultivar 'Lutea'. The yellow giant taro or giant elephant ear is native to a vast area of Asia: Sri Lanka and India through Southeast Asia into Indonesia. It can reach impressive size in warm, moist, well-drained clays and loams, but also in sand if enriched with lots of organic matter.

Leaves are the crowning jewel of the plant with immense size and being held...

(Giant Elephant Ear, Variegated Giant Elephant Ear)

No two leaf color patterns are alike on the variegated giant elephant ear. With origins in a wide-spreading tropical region from Sri Lanka and India through Southeast Asia into Indonesia, it grows best in warm soils and high humidity. Cultivar 'Variegata' can reach impressive size in warm, moist, well-drained clays and loams, but also in sand if enriched with lots of organic matter. It tends to be slower growing that other green-leaved selections, and seemingly more intolerant of cool weather. Heat...

(Elephant Ear, Freydyk Variegated Taro, Taro)

Exquisite, mask-like, variegated leaves are the highlight of Alocasia micholitziana 'Variegated Freydyk'. Originating from the warm, moist regions of Asia, it is a favorite of tropical gardeners.

Its large arrow-shaped leaves emerge from thick rhizomes. The dark green leaves are spectacularly mottled with yellow, green and creamy white. They are waxy, velvety with wavy edges and white veins.

Anthurium-like flowers appear when growing conditions are favorable. They consist of...