S & J Nursery’s Guide to Growing
Alocasia ‘Calidora’ Elephant Ear Plant
in the Northeast Florida Jacksonville | ST. Augustine area Landscape
( Alocasia ‘Calidora’ )
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Origins:
-A classically upright Alocasia with big thick bold green leaves perfect for the center of a mixed container by the pool or tucked away at the back of the border in the Northeast Florida landscape.
– Fast growing and easy to care for, these big leaved elephant ear plants are perfect to add an instant feel of the tropics to your Northeast Florida landscape.
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Preferred Exposure:
– Plant these large specimen Elephant Ear plants in a full sun to full shade garden location in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area landscape.
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Foliage:
-Thick upright hear shaped leaves are a bright green color and grow to be a huge eye catching size. As the plant matures, each leaf alone may reach 3-4 ft in length and 3 ft in width. Really a very stunning garden specimen that could be utilized more in our North Florida area gardens.
– These plants are cold hardy well above our semitropical climate zones in the North Florida | Jacksonville | St. Augustine area landscape. ( Hardy in zones 8-11) and make a reliable garden perennial planting.
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Soil Preference / Salt tolerance:
– Alocasia Calidora Elephant ear plants are a bit particular about the soil they need to thrive and will prefer moist soils rich with organic materials, amend with compost / humus when planting for best results.
– Salt tolerance unknown.
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Size Variance:
– The foliage on the Alocasia Calidora plant will reach a stunning 4-7 ft high and 5 or more ft wide.
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Growth Habit:
– Clumping perennial herb forms an attractive, upright mound of tropical
foliage.
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Growth Rate:
– Fast growing
Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear Plant Water Requirements:
– Although much more durable once established in the landscape, regular water is necessary to get the plant rooted and growing on its own after being planted in the ground from an S & J Nursery container. Use supplemental irrigation when planted in full sun or in extremely sandy soil.
Best Uses For Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear in the Jacksonville | St. Augustine
Area Landscapes :
– Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear is a great easy care low maintenance addition to just about any landscape. Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear plants will blend perfectly into traditional formal landscapes or tropical gardens. Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear also are right at home in the middle of a
perennial bed and blend beautifully into any Cottage garden setting.
– Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear make an excellent potted plant accent for the pool or patio area.
– Excellent pond side planting, in ground or in a container.
– Perfect in masses under larger trees or landscape specimens for added
attraction to any landscape setting, near a seating wall, water feature, bird bath or park bench, etc.
Care of Alocasia Calidora Elephant Ear :
– Low care landscape pant selection.
– Water every day during the establishment period after planting in the garden from a nursery container.
– Elephant Ear plants will need good water during the establishment period and supplemental irrigation during dry spells or particularly hot dry summers, especially when planted into sandy soils.
– As with all perennial plantings, amending the soil with compost when planting your Alocasia ‘Calidora’ Elephant Ear plants will help keep them healthy and happy through the years.
– Fertilize each spring with a handful of garden compost or a mixture of Milorganite or Green Edge Fertilizer and a slow release poly coated plant food such as Osmocote or Stay Green general purpose plant food or 10-10-10.