Colocasia ‘Black Ripple’

elephant ear
Undulating dark plum colored leaves with a reflective, almost metallic sheen. Will defoliate with frost.
height 3–4ft
width 3–4ft
tolerates Cold, Heat, Moist Soil, Pots
water
needs		 High
water
info		 In nature these plants grow along waterways or in flooding areas, so they want to be deeply saturated when you water them in your home or garden. They prefer to remain wet for several days, even standing in water, before they begin to dry out. They can even be grown in a pot that’s within a water element, as long as it isn’t fully submerged and has excellent drainage.
hardy
to		 10F
exposure Part Sun – Full Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Planting Mix, In Pots: Potting Soil
origin Hybrid
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 8, 9, 11–23

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

Elephant ears provide a wide, tropical element in landscapes. Not all are hardy even in our mildest California climates see the hardiness information on your plant for more information.
Older leaves can be pruned off when they begin to shrivel and dry up.
Elephant ears are physically delicate and leaves show small tears and rips when they are located near high traffic areas.

Special Interest

While some make a tasty snack when *cooked* (yes, Colocasia esculenta is the taro you see in Asian and Pacific cuisines!), not all species are edible, and in fact some are poisonous, so best not to dish up your elephant ear.

More Info

This plant was grown for an outdoor environment, so we do not recommend moving it inside. In general we do not recommend moving plants raised for an outdoor environment indoors.
This plant would make a good houseplant if it had been grown in a controlled greenhouse with houseplant soil. This ‘greenhousing’ ensures that plants who come home with you are well acclimated to indoor life, and also that they don’t have any pests. It is common for outdoor plants to have other passengers as well, such as earthworms or centipides that don’t necessarily hurt the plant, but aren’t welcome indoors.
If you consider yourself an expert gardener, you can of course attempt to transition this plant indoors. In that case you’ll want to strip all the soil from the rootball, wash the roots clean and then spray the entire plant (leaves, undersides of the leaves, all the cracks and roots) with a mix of one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol in a cup of water. Repot the plant in the appropriate sterile soil/pot and take extra care as it transitions to the indoors, especially looking for pests and treating at the first sign of problems. Always consider the risk that any bugs could also affect other houseplants you have nearby.
For some plants, we sell two versions: outdoor-grown and greenhouse-grown. If you’re looking to grow this plant indoors, feel free to ask our staff if we have a greenhouse-grown version in stock!