Alocasia ‘Borneo King’

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.