‘Thailand Giant’ is, undoubtedly, the plant with the largest foliage in the aroid (Araceae) family. It started appearing in gardens across the country within the last decade. Leaves emerge in mid- to late spring, reaching more than 6 feet long and 3 feet wide in one season under optimal conditions. I’ve been digging out and overwintering a plant for three years now, but this past spring, I found a bud that had been left behind and survived winter; it grew a whopping 8 feet tall and wide in its first year in my Zone 7 garden on the south side of a brick wall that reflects heat and winter sun. Children and silly adults love to compare their ears to those of ‘Thailand Giant’ . -Adrienne Roethling, Elephant’s Ears, Fine Gardening issue #148, page 57
Noteworthy CharacteristicsGiant, stunning foliage
CareIn cool hardiness zones, overwinter the plant’s tubers indoors. In warm hardiness zones, surround the plants during winter with a cage containing a 6-in. depth of chopped tree leaves. Allow the plants' leaves to be desiccated by frost.
PropagationPlant tubers when soil is consistently around 70°F. Offspring shoots can be transplanted.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
The Nature of Oaks: The Rich Ecology of Our Most Essential Native Trees
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
Pruning Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide to 50 Popular Trees and Shrubs
Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.
- Genus : Colocasia
- Zones : 10, 8, 9
- Plant Width : 10 to 15 feet
- Growth Rate : Fast
- Light : Full Sun
- Foliage Color : Green
- Maintenance : Low
- Moisture : Medium Moisture
- Plant Type : Perennials
- Characteristics : Showy Foliage
Plant Characteristics are only available to Fine Gardening members
Sign up for a free trial and get instant access to our complete plant guide as well as our entire collection of articles and videos.