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‘Thailand Giant’ elephant’s ear

Colocasia esculenta ‘Thailand Giant’

‘Thailand Giant’ is, undoubtedly, the plant with the largest foliage in the aroid (Araceae) family. It started appearing in gardens across the country within the last decade. Leaves emerge in mid- to late spring, reaching more than 6 feet long and 3 feet wide in one season under optimal conditions. I’ve been digging out and overwintering a plant for three years now, but this past spring, I found a bud that had been left behind and survived winter; it grew a whopping 8 feet tall and wide in its first year in my Zone 7 garden on the south side of a brick wall that reflects heat and winter sun. Children and silly adults love to compare their ears to those of ‘Thailand Giant’ . -Adrienne Roethling, Elephant’s Ears, Fine Gardening issue #148, page 57

Noteworthy CharacteristicsGiant, stunning foliage

CareIn cool hardiness zones, overwinter the plant’s tubers indoors. In warm hardiness zones, surround the plants during winter with a cage containing a 6-in. depth of chopped tree leaves. Allow the plants' leaves to be desiccated by frost.

PropagationPlant tubers when soil is consistently around 70°F. Offspring shoots can be transplanted.

  • Genus : Colocasia
  • Zones : 10, 8, 9
  • Plant Width : 10 to 15 feet
  • Growth Rate : Fast
  • Light : Full Sun
  • Foliage Color : Green
  • Maintenance : Low
  • Moisture : Medium Moisture
  • Plant Type : Perennials
  • Characteristics : Showy Foliage

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