let me know if you can kill 'em... i have a bunch i can't get rid of,you think they're dead,and they come back and multiply

probably is the species c. esculenta.
it should not be hardy for you outdoors in zone 7a but may persist for some years until temps go low enought to kill it. they like moisture and shade but will take sun if the soil is not allowed to become dry for extended periods.
plant the top of the tuber at or just below soil level.
i am growing a cultivar with smaller blackish foliage in a large plastic planter. i did not knock out the pre-punched drainage hole in the bottom so i can keep the soil saturated and they seem happy there in a half-day of sun.
in your zone, container-grown plants would need to be overwintered in a protected area or dig the tubers and hold them over the winter in a cool, dry area.

We had a rather cold winter this year and our elephant ear are coming back up again. They've been in the ground for 10 years. I know they like a lot of water since they are quite tropical...then you'll see the huge leaves. G'luck!

Mine comes back every year. It is planted in a bed near the house, facing south, so it is in a warm spot.

Mine comes back very year. It is planted on the west side of the house. I live in Atlanta.