Alocasia ‘Yucatan Princess’

Elephant Ear
Purple stems lead to glossy dark green leaves with purple tints. If grown outdoors in colder areas plant will defoliate in winter. Moist well drained soil.
height 3–6ft
width 3–6ft
tolerates 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		 15F
exposure Full Shade – Part Sun
indoor
outdoor		 Outdoor
drainage In Ground: Planting Mix, In Pots: Potting Soil
fertilizing All Purpose
origin Hybrid
california
native		 No
sunset
zones		 8, 9, 12, 13, 16–24

Sunset Zones Map

Outdoor Exposure Guide

Growing Notes

They are easy to grow in humid rooms indoors. Try and avoid areas near heating vents, radiators, or AC, which can cause brown tipping on the leaves and lead to pests. Elephant ears are plants known for something called guttation, which means pushing extra water from the leaf tips. This is a quirky feature of the plant world, and one that can be problematic if your plant is over hardwood flooring. Keep your eye out for guttation, which will usually occur in the days after watering.
These plants grow from the center/top; as the older leaves move toward the bottom, they will turn brown and shrivel up. This is the normal growth of the plant and should not be a concern. Cut off the older leaves as they start to brown, or leave them as the plant would grow in nature.
Elephant ears naturally defoliate when it’s too cold or dry, so if yours loses its leaves it’s not a lost cause. The leaves may come back when the plant is returned to its optimal growth conditions.
This plant has been raised to live indoors; however, it can also grow outdoors in mild areas of California. Keep in mind that the plant will go through a stressful transition, especially if moved outside in particularly hot, cold, or wet weather. Even if this plant will eventually thrive in direct sunlight, it has not been grown in this level of light, so if you plant it in direct sun, just expect that the leaves may burn at first, then happily regrow as they acclimate to the new levels of light. Planting in the spring or fall will help with this transition.