My Deer Garden

Plant record · Bulb

Is Elephant Ear deer resistant?

Colocasia esculenta

Enormous leaves of elephant ear
Photo by Thierry Caro, CC BY-SA 2.5. Via Wikimedia Commons.
Damage step 2 of 4 · Seldom Severely Damaged

Mostly. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.

Type
Bulb
Hardiness
Zones 8–11
Light
Part shade
Height
36–72 in
Maintenance
Moderate
Toxic to
dogs, cats, and horses

Damage steps follow a published university field scale. How plants are rated.

About Elephant Ear

Enormous leaves for tropical effect, from a tuber lifted and stored over winter in cold regions. Calcium oxalate makes every part burn the mouth, which is why deer ignore it.

Soil and care

Soil pH
5.5 to 7
Drainage
Consistently moist
Water
High
Spacing
24 to 35 in apart
Growth rate
Fast
Maintenance
Moderate

Similar to Elephant Ear

Other bulbs with the same deer rating.

Where Elephant Ear grows

Hardy across 23 states on zone range alone. Mountain and coastal areas sit outside the ranges used here, so check your own zone before ordering. Select any state, including one it will not grow in, for what is resistant there.

Alabama — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Alaska — hardy here. Zones 1 to 8.Arizona — hardy here. Zones 5 to 10.Arkansas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.California — hardy here. Zones 7 to 10.Colorado — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Connecticut — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Delaware — not hardy here. Zones 7 to 7.District of Columbia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 8.Florida — hardy here. Zones 8 to 11.Georgia — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Hawaii — hardy here. Zones 9 to 12.Idaho — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 7.Illinois — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Indiana — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Iowa — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Kansas — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Kentucky — not hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.Louisiana — hardy here. Zones 8 to 10.Maine — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Maryland — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Massachusetts — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Michigan — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Minnesota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Mississippi — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.Missouri — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Montana — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.Nebraska — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 6.Nevada — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New Hampshire — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.New Jersey — not hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.New Mexico — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.New York — not hardy here. Zones 4 to 7.North Carolina — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.North Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 4.Ohio — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 6.Oklahoma — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Oregon — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Pennsylvania — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Rhode Island — not hardy here. Zones 6 to 7.South Carolina — hardy here. Zones 7 to 9.South Dakota — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Tennessee — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Texas — hardy here. Zones 6 to 9.Utah — hardy here. Zones 4 to 9.Vermont — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Virginia — hardy here. Zones 6 to 8.Washington — hardy here. Zones 5 to 8.West Virginia — not hardy here. Zones 5 to 7.Wisconsin — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 5.Wyoming — not hardy here. Zones 3 to 6.
Hardy on zone rangeNot hardy — still linked
Choose a state from the listeasier on a phone

Common questions about Elephant Ear

Is Elephant Ear deer resistant?
Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta) is rated Seldom Severely Damaged, step 2 of 4 on the damage scale this site uses. Light browsing at worst; rarely ruined.
What hardiness zones does Elephant Ear grow in?
Elephant Ear is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11. Outside that range it will either not survive winter or will struggle with summer heat.
Does Elephant Ear grow in shade?
Yes. Elephant Ear tolerates part shade, which makes it one of the options for a shaded bed where deer also browse.
How big does Elephant Ear get?
Mature height is roughly 36–72 in. Growth rate is fast.
Is Elephant Ear toxic to dogs or cats?
Yes. The ASPCA lists Elephant Ear as toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. Site it away from where animals graze, or choose something else if you have a dog that chews.

Browse from here

Every list Elephant Ear belongs to.

All bulbs·Seldom damaged·Part shade plants

Hardy in these zones

Zone 8·Zone 9

Damage ratings follow the four-step field scale published by Rutgers University. Growing data is compiled from state extension sources and still being verified record by record. Last reviewed .