All Ears for Elephant Ears!

Are you all ears?  Elephant ears, wildly popular with gardeners of all ages, make great additions to the garden or landscape with their dramatic and interesting leaves.

Want to add elephant ears to this year’s garden?  Two options: you can grow your own from bulbs, or purchase a plant already in leaf. Either way, they are best grown in sunny spots and well-drained soils in pots or planters, or planted directly in the garden. Elephant ear bulbs are started indoors in March for planting outside in May. (Keep this in mind if you want to grow your own – purchase bulbs in early spring 2026.) Why wait?  You can have incredible elephant ears in this year’s garden by purchasing a leafy plant for immediate enjoyment.

Did you know? Elephant ears are not hardy on Long Island, the bulbs would have to be dug right after frost and stored in a frost-free location until spring – think basement. Another option: bring your potted elephant ears into the home in late September and grow as a sunny houseplant during the winter months. The big question – will you have the room to grow it as an indoor plant?