Maintain, overwinter & reproduce elephant ears

Although the elephant's ear looks really impressive with its huge green leaves, caring for the tropical plant is not that difficult.

When a few principles are heeded, it thrives Elephant ear (Alocasia macrorrhyzos) splendid. There are also tips for successful wintering and reproduction of the giant tropical arrow leaf.

Maintain elephant ear

The elephant ear is a popular houseplant not only because of the special leaves, but also because of its modesty. If you have enough space in your apartment, you can enjoy the giant arrow sheet for a long time. Important principles in elephant ear care are regular watering and fertilizing as well as ensuring high humidity.

Water, fertilize and cut

For most houseplants, regular watering is the cornerstone of a healthy plant. You also have to water the elephant's ear - preferably so often that the soil is always evenly moist. A lot of water evaporates over the large leaf area, which has to be taken up again via the roots. However, it is important that no water build-up occurs in the planter. Any irrigation water that is still in the coaster after fifteen minutes must be removed.

The elephant ear loves high humidity: In addition to watering, a bowl with expanded clay and water should be set up for the elephant ear. The elephant ear pot can be placed on this so that the environment for the plant always has increased humidity. Alternatively, the elephant ear can be sprayed with water regularly. A high level of humidity also keeps pests such as spider mites away, which weakened plants like to seek out in dry air.

Tip: Occasional wiping of the large leaves enables unhindered photosynthesis and ensures a beautiful shine.

From April to September, in addition to the irrigation water, nutrients are also required every two weeks. A liquid fertilizer such as ours Plantura organic indoor & green plant fertilizer reliably supplies the elephant ear with all important nutrients. The microorganisms contained in it provide support for the thick roots. The balanced ratio of nitrogen and potassium helps the plant to develop lush green leaves. From October to March it is sufficient to fertilize the elephant ear less often. Every six to eight weeks is sufficient with a warm winter of 18 ° C or more. It must not be colder than 15 ° C for the tropical plant in winter. If you overwinter the elephant's ear in a cool place, i.e. at 15 ° C, it should not be fertilized at all.

You don't have to cut the elephant's ear. However, withered leaves can be removed at the base. You can also proceed in the same way if the elephant ear plant gets too big for you. The disruptive leaves should be cut off at ground level if possible.

Repot the elephant ear

Elephant ear plants grow relatively quickly. To promote growth, you should repot the elephant ear annually, preferably in spring. Choose a pot about 4 cm larger in diameter and create a drainage layer. Since the giant arrow leaf with the large leaves is rather difficult to handle, repotting is recommended in pairs. Alternatively, the elephant ear can be carefully placed on its side and the old pot removed from the root ball. Remove the old substrate - as far as possible - from the roots before placing the plant in the fresh soil. For example, ours is suitable for this Plantura organic universal soil. Its loose, stable structure and high humus content make it ideal for the elephant's ear.
If you want the elephant ear to grow more slowly, choose the same pot size when repotting as before. Carefully shorten the roots and also remove some leaves with a sharp knife. In this way, the ratio of above-ground and underground parts of the plant remains balanced.

Yellow leaves on the elephant ear and other care mistakes

It is natural that outer leaves turn yellow and die from time to time. As far as it is only a matter of individual cases and a new leaf always grows in the middle, everything is fine. However, if several leaves change color or droop, it can often be seen that the plant is not doing well. There are several causes that can cause the elephant ear to develop yellow leaves or flabby ears.

Possible causes of yellow leaves:

• Waterlogging and the associated root rot, which hinders the absorption of water and nutrients. In this case, repotting should be made and a drainage layer should be created.
• Lack of water due to infrequent watering. The elephant ear needs to be watered regularly.
• Nutrient deficiencies - especially nitrogen, magnesium and iron deficiencies - quickly lead to yellow chlorosis. It should be repotted and fertilized regularly.

Possible causes of brown spots:

• Direct sunlight can cause brown spots on the leaves of the elephant ear. Place the plant in a light spot in partial shade.
• Waterlogging can also lead to brown leaf spots after a while.
• Pests such as spider mites tend to leave punctual lightening and occur above all when the humidity is too low. They also leave white webs on the leaves. In the event of an infestation, the elephant ear should be sprayed several times with lukewarm water. In our magazine you will also find everything you need to know about Fight against spider mites.

Causes of drooping leaves:

• Lack of water can be the cause if the elephant ear plant lets the leaves droop or if they curl up. Check if the soil is still damp. If it is too dry, it should definitely be watered more often.

Causes of leaking leaves:

• It is quite normal for the elephant's ear to drip. The so-called guttation releases moisture through the leaves. Nevertheless, check whether the plant is perhaps in the water - that should be avoided as a matter of urgency.

Is the elephant ear hardy?

Since the tropical plant is used to warm temperatures all year round in its homeland, the elephant's ear is not hardy here. It should be overwintered in light at room temperature, but at least at 15 ° C. In the cold season, the elephant's ear also has to be watered and fertilized less often.

Propagate elephant ear

The easiest way to multiply the elephant ear is by dividing the rhizome of the plant when repotting. To do this, cut off parts of the rhizome with a sharp knife. The pieces should dry out a little and then put upright in potting soil. Our substrate, for example, is suitable as a substrate Plantura organic herb & seed compostwhich not only promotes the emergence of the new adventitious roots, but also does not contain any peat. Uniform heat at 20-25 ° C and high humidity must now be ensured. Such conditions are of course best achieved in a greenhouse. In the apartment you can, for example, use a room greenhouse or put a glass bell or a transparent plastic bag over the cultivation vessel. It can take a few days to weeks for leaves to form - so patience is now required.

You like the large leaves of the elephant ear plant, but you just don't have enough space in your home? Then take a look at them Heart leaf flower (Anthurium clarinervium) at. Its leaves are at least as beautiful, but the plant remains significantly smaller.