Arrowleaf Elephant Ear
Other Common Names:
(Xanthosoma sagittifolium)
Non-Native
Elephant ear has gigantic leaves that can be six feet long. The plants can grow to nine feet tall.
Management Options
Click here for more information on how to control arrowleaf elephant ear.
Description
Elephant ear stems grow underground and are bulb like; rhizomes grow from these bulbs. Elephant ear can grow to nine feet tall. Light green leaves are arrow shaped with wavy edges. They have long leaf stalks and are attached to the leaf stalk at the base of the v. Leaves can be as long as six feet. They contain oxalic acid, which can be a skin irritant.
Elephant ear can be confused with wild taro, but elephant ear grows much taller, sometimes reaching nine feet in height. Wild taro rarely grows to four feet tall and the leaves of wild taro are darker green, often with some purple.
Location
Elephant ear can be found in Texas and Florida
Propagation
rhizomes, fragments
Management Options
Click here for more information on how to control arrowleaf elephant ear.