Alocasia odora

Alocasia odora is a strikingly beautiful landscape plant. Individual heart-shaped leaves with rounded tips can be more than three feet in height and width. Leaves stick straight up, giving them prominence in the landscape. With maturity, the dark green leaves of this giant elephant ear, as it is commonly called, become increasingly quilted or puckered in appearance.  

Like other members of Araceae family, inflorences are green and white spathes that cover the tiny flowers. In summer when the plants bloom, the flowers are very fragrant, but they do not last for more than a week or so. Bright, orange-red, inedible fruits follow the blossoms. 

Is Alocasia Hardy? 

I doubted that something so spectacular and tropical looking would survive outdoors in Zone 8. However, my large potted specimen spent the winter outdoors with no protection. The leaves completely disappeared, and I thought it a goner for sure. But with the return of spring, the leaves emerged with more vigor than ever. 

Plants are hardy in Zones 7 and higher and can tolerate temperatures to zero degrees F. Gardeners farther north than Zone 7 have had great success growing Alocasia in containers that are moved indoors during the winter. A gardener from Canada grows the plant in her living room where it has made a stunning addition to her interiorscape.  

Culture and Propagation 

Plant this tropical beauty in full sun to partial shade in fertile, well-drained soil. The plants should be divided every year or two. If allowed to grow in clumps, the leaves become small. If planted singly, the leaves grow to their maximum size and make a dramatic statement in the landscape. Plants can live in shallow water or in well-drained soil that is kept consistently moist.

To increase your alocasias, remove “pups” that grow at the base of parent plants. Share them with friends or plant them in other places in the garden. Seeds can be collected after the spathe dies and the bright red berries that contain the seeds mature. Sow the seeds shallowly in damp, sandy soil where they germinate readily.  

Other Kinds 

Five species of Alocasia are reported by USDA Plants Database. They include  Alocasia brisbanensis (cunjevoi), Alocasia cucullata (Chinese taro), Alocasia macrorrhizos (giant taro), and Alocasia plumbea (metallic taro).  

Alocasia is sometimes called “giant elephant ear.”  The name “elephant ear” leads to confusion, for Alocasia is not the only genus called by that name. Some people use the name to refer to other quite different plants, such as Philodendron, Anthurium, Colocasia, Xanthosoma, and Caladium species. The name is very unspecific, and some elephant ears are exotic invasive plants that are to be avoided. It is better just to say “Alocasia.” 

Alocasia is not invasive, and it is not listed on the University of Florida Assessment of Invasive Plants or by the Florida Exotic Pest Plant Council. Plant it and depend on it to add its own brand of beauty and vitality to your garden. Look for it at garden centers and farmers' markets locally.