How to Save Elephant Ears

The elephant ear plant takes its name from the size and shape of its leaves. Elephant ear plants come in a variety of sizes, from dwarf to giant, upright growers and those that naturally weep. Depending upon variety, some can be grown in containers, indoors. Grown from a corm, the elephant ear is a tropical plant that needs winter protection outside of its U.S. Department of Agriculture hardiness zones 9 through 11.

Pruning shears
Spade or hand trowel
Peat moss or sawdust
Small box

Instructions

- 1
  Reduce watering frequency when the foliage begins to turn brown in the fall.
- 2
  Cut the stems to 6 inches tall after the first frost. Carefully dig up the corm with a spade or hand trowel.
- 3
  Place the elephant ear corm in an area that remains near 60 degrees F for three weeks, to dry.
- 4
  Place a 2-inch layer of peat moss or sawdust in a small box. Cut the foliage from the corm, brush the soil away and place it in the box. Cover it with 3 inches of the material.
- 5
  Place the box in a location in which the temperature will remain between 45 and 55 degrees F for the winter.
- 6
  Check the corm periodically over the winter. If it looks as if it has shriveled, add a few drops of moisture to the peat moss or sawdust.
- 7
  Replant the elephant ear corm in the spring.

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