I think elephant ears need part shade, not full sun, anyway they look very nice w/ woodland ferns and hostas.

They do require part shade. If in the sun they will only burn despite mulching and heavy watering. The red variegated varieties scorch less but still need ample shade to perform well.

check out the following book; I thought it had some neat ideas for creating that tropical look without the benefit of that weather!

Hot Plants for Cool Climates: Gardening with Tropical Plants in Temperate Zones by Susan A. Roth,Dennis Schrader
Houghton Mifflin Company / February 2000

I live in SW FL.zone 10, My Elephant Ears are in full sun. They are planted with Oyster plants & all is well

My elephant ears get sun (reflected from wall behind them as well) until around 2-30pm during summer. I have cannas planted in front of them. They all grew like crazy and are happily sprouting again.

Can anyone tell me how close the EE's can be planted and, I saw a couple of you that planted in the sun which is where I want to plant. Did you need to water more than usual? How wide can they get? I have some real big bulbs. Like soft balls. HELP!!!! jane

Where do you get elephant ears? I live in Los Angeles and haven't seen them around, but would love to plant some.

My favorite EE is the "Black Magic" (if I remember right).
It thrives in full sun here in zone 8. Many good companions exist: coleus; petunia integrifolia; tall white gaura--to name a few.

I made a nice little bed under a VERY old oak tree, with elephant ears(black magic and the HUGE geen ones) a couple of hostas, and several different ferns. I love the "ghost ferns" and autumn ferns (the new fronds are almost red)...it's a small bed, but it's my favorite part of my yard... Juli

My EE's are in full sun with a banana tree behind them, canna between them, and impatients adding a splash of color at their shaded base. I have balck magic front and center of the whole display with hardy yellow mum taking up the rear.

i live in texas and i plant E,E, on the west side of my house which block the hot afternoon sun and strong wind. My E,E, doing well without addition water,the leaves up to 5' tall x 2'wide x 3'long. i dug up the bulb they are huge about the size of football. one thing i learned that elephant ears(caladium alike) will not grow if the ground temperature is below 60'F( if they stay for prolong period in a wet ground they are vunerable to fungize which cause them to rot.)elephant ears love nitrogen and they take up lots of space.

Elephant ears?? would they be the same thing as some refer to as Jerusalem Artichikes??..
Big Taro or spud normally grows below the ground roughly nine months or so after planting??.
Cheers
Peter

i have my elephant ears (ruffles) in part sun/shade mixed with heliconias, gingers and impatients at there base for extra splash...

DH has our EE planted by the pond,and has papyrus growing behind them.We've had them there for at least the last 4 years.
For the person in LA that was looking for them,we got our at Armstrong gardens.We're in Oceanside,Ca along the coast.
Kathi

I did Nasturtium 'Alaska Mix' with 'Black Magic' and loved it. Would probably look good with green types of EE too...

EEs do great in N.Alabama in the blazing sun.

weazle