The elephant ear plant is known for its attractive foliage which looks exciting and also it can be grown indoors as a decorative plant. It is to be noted that elephant ear plants do also have some health benefits. The leaves of the elephant ear are full of starch, vitamin B1, riboflavin and vitamin C. Also, you can directly use the leaves of the plant on the wounded region and it helps to prevent pain and swelling.
In this article, we are going to discuss the root system of elephant ear plants and whether they are invasive or not.
Elephant ear root system explained
The elephant ear root system is basically a tuberous root system from which the plant grows and spreads its foliage. The tuberous doesn’t grow much longer and they are indeed invasive plants. The leaves and root system of elephant ears grow very quickly and very aggressively.
The elephant ear root system is not a very complex root system. The root system mainly consists of tuberous roots. The plant and the leaves of the plant grow from this tuberous root. The root system of the elephant ear is also not fibrous. The roots are totally thin and don’t grow very long.
Also, like the other plants, these plants don’t have any primary, secondary or tertiary roots. Rather it has tuberous roots which serve the purposes of primary, secondary and tertiary roots. The tuberous roots system absorbs all the necessary nutrients from the upper portion of the soil. The tuberous roots also help the plant to stabilize properly and the roots act as a foundation for the plant.
The elephant ear root system is invasive because the roots grow quickly. Although the roots don’t grow very much longer like other plants, the shorter roots can be very aggressive. The tuberous roots can damage other roots or plants growing near it and also the elephant ear plant spreads quickly through its roots.
The root system of the elephant ear plant can be invasive but it doesn’t have a shallow or deep root system. Due to not being a shallow or deep root system, the roots of the elephant ear don’t damage any pipes or foundation. Also, for not having sturdy roots it cannot even penetrate the pipes or foundation of any house.
Below we have discussed the root system of the two elephant ear species:
Mammoth elephant ear:
The mammoth elephant ear is one of the species of the elephant ear family. Just like all other elephant ears, it has a corm root system from where it grows and the foliage emerges. The foliage grows under the soul from where the rhizomes and tubers develop. The mammoth elephant ear plant can grow perfectly in wet soil and also, the plant prefers standing which is why if you are looking for rainwater specimens for your garden then the mammoth elephant ear is the perfect plant for you.
Giant elephant ear:
Generally, the giant elephant ears emerge from tubers. If this tuber is planted under soil then the roots and the foliage develop from the tubers. However, the roots don’t grow that long which is why the roots of a giant elephant ear don’t have deep roots. But the roots of giant elephant ears are very invasive as they can populate a small area very quickly with the help of their roots.
Does the Elephant ear have deep roots?
The elephant ear doesn’t have deep roots. Typically, the length of the elephant ear roots remains between 5 to 6 feet. The root system of the elephant ear is a very complex root system but the roots don’t grow more than 16 to 18 inches. The roots are mainly from the tubers and the tubers are the main foundation of the elephant ear that stabilizes the plant. The foliage and rhizomes grow from the tubers as well as the leaves of this plant can grow as wide as 61 inches.
The root system of the elephant ear plant doesn’t have any primary, secondary or tertiary roots like other plants. Also, the plants don’t have shoots that grow from the roots. The plant eventually grows from the tubers and develops average sized roots from the tubers. Therefore, the root size of elephant ear plants doesn’t grow more than 15 inches.
As the root’s of the elephant ear plant doesn’t grow that much longer, therefore, you can plant them into 16 to 18-wide pots. The elephant ear plants are also called indoor decorative plants as you can grow them indoors in a pot.
How Deep Are Elephant Ear Roots?
Elephant ear roots don’t penetrate that much deep in the soil. On average the size of the elephant roots remains between 16 to 18 inches. The roots also don’t have any parts like secondary or tertiary root systems similar to other plants. Therefore, the size of the roots doesn’t grow that long.
The elephant ear plant emerges from the tuber. The roots and the rhizomes also develop from this tuber. The tuber is actually the fibrous part of this plant from where the plant gets the support to stabilize. However, the roots of the elephant ear are not fibrous, their sizes are thin and the size of the tuber is thick. The leaves of the elephant ear plant can grow as wide as 60 inches.
The roots of elephant ear plants don’t grow deep, however, the roots can be very invasive. They can populate with the help of their roots very quickly as well as they can destroy other plants near them. In some countries, it is completely restricted to grow elephant ear plants because of their invasive nature. The roots of the elephant ear plants can destroy the roots of other plants near them. In addition, the roots can even destroy other small plants due to their aggressive nature.
Can Elephant ear roots damage foundation or pipes?
The roots of the elephant ear plant are very invasive. However, the roots aren’t that strong so it will damage the foundation and pipes. The invasive roots of the elephant ear can damage other plants and also their roots.
The fans of the foliage of the elephant ear plants increase the charm of the plants. The leaves that may grow up to 2 feet long can be very dangerous for the other plants. In addition, the roots of the elephant ear plants are very aggressive in nature, therefore, they can damage the plants that are nearby. The roots of the elephant ear plants grow from the tubers. The tubers are indeed fibrous but the roots of the elephant ear are not that fibrous. The roots of the elephant ear are very thin in size and they grow small in length. Therefore, the roots of this plant cannot damage the foundations or pipes.
But you may have to be careful if you are planning to grow elephant ears in your garden. Because in warm conditions the plant can grow rapidly as well as the roots will be more invasive. The upper parts of the plants can damage other plants nearby and also the roots of the elephant ear will destroy the roots of the other plants.
Do Elephant’s ears spread or multiply?
Well, elephant ears may spread or multiply along the upper part of the soil, however, it mainly spreads in the form of clumps. One thing to be noted is that, spreading and multiplying also depends on the species of the elephant ear. Because some elephant ears may spread or multiply on the ground. Their branches may tangle with other branches of other plants and will multiply eventually. In warm weather, the herbs and shrubs of this plant will multiply even more rapidly. In warm conditions, the plant will grow quickly in length and the leaves will also grow more widely.
Some species of the elephant ear may spread or multiply through groups. Basically, this species of elephant ears mainly spread or multiplies with other elephant ear plants. They can multiply or spread with other elephant ears in the form of a large mass. The forming of a large mass can be good or bad.
However, if you want to look for a variety of elephant ears which doesn’t spread out of control then it is the right species for you. The forming of clumps or large masses can be very dangerous for others. As the large mass of elephant ears can suffocate or even damage the other plants in your garden. Both of the species are known for damaging the plants that are nearby.
Final Thoughts:
Elephant ear root system is very invasive but they will not be able to destroy foundations or pipes. However, they can destroy other plants as they grow in large sizes and suffocate other plants. So make sure grow them in big spaces in your garden and go for the species that spreads in clumps.