Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (2025)

Plant Care Elephant Ear

Taxonomy Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (13)

Alocasia odora and reginula

Alocasia

Araceae

Alismatales
Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (14)

How to care for Elephant Ear

💦 Water

How often to water your Elephant Ear

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (18)

0.5 cups
every 9

Elephant Ear needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (19)

Water 0.5 cups every
9

☀️ Light

Finding light for Elephant Ear in your home

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (21)

3ft or less from
a window

Elephant Ear may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Elephant Ear in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Elephant Ear

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (22)

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Elephant Ear after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

  • I just got my alocasia, the stem feels viable but the leaf is completely crunchy. Can I save her? #AlocasiaScalprum

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (23)

    FFFFFFFFFFFF— Stupid fungus gnats. Screw their pathetic week-long lives.😡😡😡🤬🤬🤬 [don't mind the fact that it looks slightly overwatered, i'm holding back on water now] Currently i'm trying to cover as much soil as possible, so to prevent any more fascist gnats. I read that they seem to be attracted to compost-based soils. Is this true? If so i might as well spend more on soilless ones [there's a good local company for it anyways] #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #PestControl #fungusgnats #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #alocasiaplatinum

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (24)

    My alocasia babies!All of my alocasias got some sulfur added to their soil tonight, as per a suggestion from @TheOddAsity and so they were all lined up on my banister, and I took this cute family photo. 😁I freaking love alocasias.My favorite plant that I have is my Alocasia Platinum, Nike. She was my first alocasia and I just absolutely adore her. 😊🩷 #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #PlantTherapy #PlantCorner #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #AlocasiaPolly #alocasiaplatinum #alocasiaredsecret #AlocasiaAmazonica #AlocasiaFrydek #VariegatedAlocasiaFrydek

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (25)

    2 small leaves 'retiring'? No improvement on Oracle except for tiny new leaf Today, I discovered two small leaves had 'retired' (going yellow and limp). One was new and tiny, the other was there when I bought it, so I had no idea on age. Both look crispy, but the larger one took on a leathery texture, just like the texture on leather gardening gloves. I suppose the smaller one took on a similar texture. I'm noticing a new leaf coming in, but the edge of it feels crisp. I don't think this is just like the regular "three-leaf-Alocasia" thing, I think it is a little different. This is AFTER a repot into Black-Gold potting soil. Recently, I bought Miracle-Gro Tropical Potting Soil, so I can repot into that. What is seriously wrong here? #happyplants #plantsmakepeoplehappy #plantaddict #planttherapy #plantcorner #plantlove #iloveplants #newgrowth #planttlc #greggang #adhdplantlovers #alocasiaaddicts #alocasia #alocasiasilverdragon

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (26)

    My new Alocasia is growing so fast already 😍 #BlackVelvetAlocasia

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (27)

    Wait a minute….who are you.. I was doing my routine pest prevention Sweep and stumbled upon this little guy sticking out? Is that a flower or a corn? What is that? #NewGrowth #PestControl #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (28)

    Is it over for Harriet? #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #alocasiajacklyn #DormancyTips #Dormancy #WinterTipsAndTricks #TipsandTricks #helpneeded #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #GregGang #Greggers #GreggersSupportingGreggers

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (29)

    UPDATE ON MY ALOCASIA:I cut off the rotted part and the leaves that were practically dead. I hope this helps. Only one healthy leaf left! #AlocasiaAddicts #Alocasia #AlocasiaDragonScale #Recovery

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (30)

    An alocasia that doesn’t hate me!!! It’s a miracle— she’s giving me flowers and so many new leaves🥹🥹 Alaskan fish fertilizer y’all- smells like crap but wow my plants love it! #AlocasiaAddicts #FloweringPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #HappyPlants #NewGrowth #PlantAddict #PlantTherapy

  • Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (31)

    Hi guys, I’m back again. (This is a bit of a long read, if you’re interested.)At this point, if you remember anything about me from what I’ve said on this app, it’s probably that I am a 17 year old with mental health issues. I kind of ghosted everyone on this app for a few days. I wasn’t doing it to be mean, just because I’ve really not been in a good headspace. But even though I was feeling terrible, I still had my plants. That’s the thing I always love most about my plants. They’re all the therapy I need. Anyway, now I’ve changed my profile picture and I feel like I’m getting a bit of a fresh start. (I hope you like my ultra close-up of my face hahaha.)Sooooo with that, I’d like to show you all some of my new growth on my plants. My philo summer glory, my alo frydek, and my baby alo platinum all are getting new leaves in!!! Im especially excited about the baby because this is her first time growing a new leaf, and she’s a baby from my favorite plant, Nike. Nike also gets an honorable mentions because use she’s putting out a new leaf, but it’s not really big enough to take a quality picture of yet. I also wanted to show you guys this HUGE golden pothos climbing the wall at my mall. I’ve never seen one that big in real life!!!Anyway, here they are! 😁 #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #NewGrowth #PlantTherapy #GrowLights #PlantCorner #PlantShelfie #PlantLove #VariegatedAlocasiaFrydek #alocasiaplatinum #Philodendron #philodendronsummerglory

Browse #Alocasia

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

Elephant Ear prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Elephant Ear may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Greg does not have confirmed data on this plant’s toxicity. If you, a family member, or a pet consumes plant material of unknown toxicity, it’s always best to consult a medical professional.

If you or someone else ingested this plant, call Poison Control at US (800) 222-1222. If a pet consumed this plant, contact your veterinarian or the ASPCA atUS (888) 426-4435.

💨 Humidity

Elephant Ear prefers dry environments. Providing extra humidity or misting your plant allows water to linger on leaves, which can create the perfect environment for harmful types of fungi.

🪴 Soil

Elephant Ear is very sensitive to dry soil, so choose a potting soil that retains moisture. A good soil will still drain well and contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir or sphagnum moss.

💩 Fertilizer

Elephant Ear is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.

❄️ Dormancy

It’s common for Elephant Ear to go dormant in the wintertime and you may notice their growth slow down. Waterings should be spaced out more during this time.

🌎 Native Region

Elephant Ear is native to tropical and subtropical Asia and Eastern Australia.

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Care Summary for Elephant Ear

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (32)

Elephant Ear

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (33) Greg recommends:

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (34) Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (35) Placement

< 3ft from a window

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (36) Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (37)

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Elephant Ear: How Much Water & Light Does it Need to Thrive? (2025)

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