The elephant ear plant (Colocasia) provides a bold tropical effect in nearly any landscape setting. In fact, these plants are commonly grown for their large, tropical-looking foliage, which is reminiscent of elephant ears.

Elephant ear plants can be used as background plants, ground covers, or edging, especially around ponds, along walkways, or patio enclosures.

Colocasia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Araceae, native to southeastern Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Some species are widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical and subtropical regions.

The names elephant-ear and cocoyam are also used for some other large-leaved genera in the Araceae, notably Xanthosoma and Caladium.

The elephant’s-ear plant gets its name from the leaves, which are shaped like a large ear or shield.

They are herbaceous perennial plants with a large corm on or just below the ground surface. The leaves are large to very large, 20–150 cm (7.9–59.1 in) long, with a sagittate shape.

Most varieties fall within the 3′ to 5′ tall range.