Gardening Flowers Bulbs How to Grow Taro Elephant's ears are lush, tropical accents that look good in any climate. By Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln Viveka Neveln is the Garden Editor at BHG and a degreed horticulturist with broad gardening expertise earned over 3+ decades of practice and study. She has more than 20 years of experience writing and editing for both print and digital media. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on January 11, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Elephant's ears are lush, tropical accents that look good in any climate. These elephant's ears are hardier than their close relatives (alocasias) and their leaves are heart-shape and larger. When summer's warm weather arrives, they grow fast, achieving a large spread of at least 5 feet. Colocasias languish in drought but thrive in wet soils. Taro Overview Genus Name Colocasia Common Name Taro Plant Type Bulb Light Part Sun, Shade, Sun Height 3 to 8 feet Width 5 to 6 feet Foliage Color Blue/Green, Purple/Burgundy Season Features Summer Bloom Special Features Good for Containers, Low Maintenance Zones 10, 11, 7, 8, 9 Propagation Division Problem Solvers Groundcover More varieties for Taro Elephant's ear Colocasia esculenta is also called taro. The plant bears large clumps of heart-shape, matte green leaves. The plant grows 5 feet tall. Zones 7-11 Black elephant's ears Colocasia esculenta 'Black Magic' offers majestic purple-black leaves that grow 2 feet long on a clumping plant that spreads 6 feet tall by wide. Zones 8-11 'Illustris' elephant's ears Colocasia esculenta 'Illustris' bears showy black leaves veined in emerald green. Grow it in part shade to intensify the black leaf coloring. It grows 6 feet tall and wide. Zones 8-11 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit