Various plants can be found under the name elephant ear, but only one of them is suitable as a houseplant. This is Haemanthus albiflos, which belongs to the amaryllis family. It is quite easy to care for, very decorative, but rare.

The elephant ear needs a lot of light

Plant and repot the elephant ear

The elephant ear can be repotted about every two to three years. It prefers a loose and well drained substrate. Put your elephant ear in a new pot, it should be just a little bigger than the old planter and have a drainage hole.

Ideally, the diameter of the plant pot is about three centimeters larger than the root ball or the bulb of your elephant ear. Before using the plant, be sure to create a drainage layer.

The right location for the elephant ear

The elephant ear, which comes from South Africa, likes it warm and bright, but does not tolerate direct sunlight, frost or waterlogging. Therefore, it feels much more comfortable on a west or east window than on a south window. If the summer is warm, then the elephant ear is welcome to stand outside in the shade. A heated greenhouse or conservatory is also a good place for the elephant ear.

Water and fertilize the elephant ear

From April to October you should water the elephant ear so that the substrate is always slightly damp, but never wet. Fertilizing is also useful during this time. Add a little liquid fertilizer to the irrigation water about once a month.

Hibernate the elephant ear properly

In winter, the elephant ear requires almost no care at all, because it hibernates. It does not need to be fertilized and only rarely watered. If the plant has been on the balcony in summer, it should move back into the apartment or conservatory by September at the latest. The ideal winter temperature for the elephant ear is 12 °C to 15 °C.

The essentials in brief:

  • easy-care
  • onion plant
  • perennial
  • white flowers
  • comes from South Africa
  • Location: warm and bright
  • tolerates neither waterlogging nor direct sunlight
  • not hardy
  • hibernates best at temperatures of 12 °C to 15 °C

tips

Although the elephant ear is a very rare houseplant, it is very decorative and easy to care for.

Category:

Indoor plants