Alocasia at The Tropical Paradise

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Elephant Ears, or Alocasia, add a wonderful tropical feel to the garden. I like planting bulbs and if there is success, great, if not, well, I forget about it. These Alocasia have been in the ground here at The Tropical Paradise for many years now. I planted the bulbs that I originally got from a friend's yard in Los Angeles, all over the place and notice that location is very important to these plants!

Alocsias like LOTS of water and dappled sunlight. The area next to the dining room window appears to be perfect for them. They are also growing well underneath the olive tree. Elsewhere, they just burn up.

In the photo, you can see them growing along with Canna Tropicanna and Ajuga reptans (Carpet Bugle). It's at the height of the rainy season here in the Phoenix, Arizona area and this is when they are at their best. They do have a tendency to sunburn, so I try to get out there and trim for neatness. Like the cannas, the harder you cut them back, the stronger they grow! They died back to the ground last winter during the terrible cold nights, but they grew back. And like all bulbs, they multiply, so you can share them with your friends.

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