Give elephant ears a little attention and they will turn into a focal point.

They are so common, almost considered as weeds. In fact, a posse of elephant ears, when properly grouped, can look stunning. Yes, they simply need to be positioned properly and receive a little TLC ... to become an attractive part of the garden. Their large, heart-shaped leaves can reach 60 cm long and about 30 cm wide in Jamaica, and the tropics in general.

In our warm climate, elephant ears are treated as herbaceous perennials; in cooler climes they are annuals.

Sun and soil requirements: Grow elephant ears in a slightly acidic soil in partial shade. As a wetland plant in the wild, elephant ears crave water. This makes them a good choice for wet areas where homeowners usually have trouble finding suitable plants. Their thirst for water makes elephant ears effective not only in soggy areas of the landscape, but also near water features.

heavy feeders

Elephant ears are heavy feeders; fertilise them with a product high in nitrogen. Some cultivars have made a name for themselves for the striking colours of their foliage. 'Jet black wonder,' for instance, has a white veining pattern that stands out sharply against its black background. 'Yellow splash' has a most handsome variegated leaf.

Edible Plant

Get this! In some tropical countries, elephant ears are an important food source.

For those of us interested in the ornamental value of this plant, the common name, 'elephant ears', is apt, since we are impressed with the size of the heart-shaped leaves. But those with a culinary bent think of the plant as 'taro' or 'coco yam', in which case the focus is usually on the corm (i.e., a 'root').

According to Wilfred Lee ('Ethnobotanical Leaflets', Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, 1999), "Taro constituted the staple of life for the Hawaiians when Captain Cook arrived in the islands in 1778. At that time an estimated 300,000 people in the islands lived chiefly on poi (a fermented or unfermented taro paste), sweet potato, fish, seaweed, and a few green vegetables and fruits."

Warning: Don't rush to dig out an elephant ear and munch on its corm. All parts of elephant ear plants can upset the stomach if ingested without being properly cooked first. As for the sap, it can be a skin irritant.

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DORMANCY

Definition: Seed dormancy is nature's way of setting a time clock that allows seeds to initiate germination when conditions are normally favourable for germination and survival of the seedlings.

Established plants generally go dormant after a period of growth; everybody needs a rest. They can also go dormant in response to adverse growing conditions. For example: grass going dormant in

intense heat or perennials going dormant for the winter. They stop growing and conserve energy until better cultural conditions present themselves. This happens naturally as seasons and weather change.

It can also be artificially controlled to store plants for shipping or to get them to flower for particular holidays. Forcing bulbs and flowering branches in the spring is a way of artificially breaking dormancy.

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Rose potpourri

Dried roses, kept whole, look great as an arrangement in a wicker basket

Here is a nicely scented potpourri recipe you may want to make. I owe it to you after all the information on how to dry flowers I have inflicted to you in recent GTs!

Recipe

2 cups dried rose petals and leaves

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp allspice

1 and 1/2 tsps orris root (a spice made from the bulb of a specific iris, usually found in health shops)

6 drops rose oil

A 1-quart container

Combine the rose petals and leaves, along with the cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Mix well. Drop the rose oil directly on the orris root, and add it to the mixture. Age it three weeks or longer, shaking daily.