Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear - 2 Gallon

Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear is a bold, patented tropical perennial (Colocasia esculenta 'Hawaiian Punch', PP #24,596) prized for its striking foliage rather than its flowers. The plant produces enormous, glossy, bright green leaves in a classic heart-to-arrow shape with prominent veining. What truly sets 'Hawaiian Punch' apart within the elephant ear world is its vivid red-to-burgundy petioles (leaf stems), which create a dramatic color contrast against the lush green blades. The overall growth habit is vase-shaped and clumping, creating a lush, layered, jungle-like presence in the garden. It grows from an underground corm and is classified as an herbaceous perennial, meaning the above-ground foliage will die back with cold temperatures but regrow vigorously from the corm each warm season.

Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear is rated for USDA Hardiness Zones 7 through 10. In Zones 8-10, including much of Northern California, the corms can typically remain in the ground year-round with a layer of protective mulch applied in late fall. In Zone 7 and in cooler microclimates of Southern Oregon, the corms benefit from being lifted after the first frost and stored indoors over winter, or from heavy mulching in sheltered spots. In all zones colder than Zone 7, this plant is best enjoyed as an annual or as a container specimen that is moved indoors before frost. It can be grown successfully as a houseplant in any zone when given sufficient warmth, humidity, and bright indirect light.

This elephant ear is quite adaptable when it comes to sun exposure and performs well across a range of light conditions:

• Filtered Sun / Dappled Shade: Ideal in hotter inland climates; the large leaves will retain their richest color and avoid scorching under a high canopy.
• Partial Sun (2-6 hours direct sun): A versatile middle ground that suits most garden situations in Southern Oregon and Northern California.
• Full Sun (6+ hours direct sun): Tolerated well in cooler coastal climates or when consistent moisture is maintained; may require extra watering in hot, dry summers.

In regions with intense summer heat, afternoon shade is recommended to prevent leaf scorch and maintain the most vibrant foliage color.

Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear is one of the more soil-tolerant ornamental tropicals, but it reaches its full potential in the right conditions:

• Soil type: Thrives in rich, organically amended loam. Tolerates clay and silt soils, especially when moisture is consistently available.
• Drainage: Unlike many ornamentals, this plant actually tolerates and enjoys consistently moist to wet soils. It is an excellent choice for low-lying areas, rain gardens, and pond edges. It grows more slowly in dry or compacted soils.
• Organic matter: Incorporate generous amounts of compost into planting beds to improve moisture retention and fertility.
• Soil pH: Performs best in a slightly acidic to neutral range of approximately 5.5 to 7.0.

Consistent moisture is the single most important cultural requirement for Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear. As a tropical plant that naturally grows along stream banks and in wet lowlands, it performs best when its soil never fully dries out.

• In the ground: Keep soil evenly moist to wet throughout the growing season. Water deeply and frequently during hot, dry spells — potentially every day or two in summer heat.
• In containers: Check soil moisture daily in warm weather; containers dry out quickly. A self-watering container or placing the pot in a shallow saucer of water can help maintain consistent moisture levels.
• Water gardens: Can be planted directly in shallow water up to about 6 inches deep, making it an outstanding marginal aquatic plant.
• In winter (dormancy): If overwintering corms indoors, store them barely moist in peat moss or vermiculite in a cool, dark location around 50-60°F.

To support the rapid production of its large, lush leaves, Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear benefits from regular feeding during the active growing season (spring through early fall).

• At planting: Work a slow-release, balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) or a controlled-release granular fertilizer into the planting hole or container mix.
• During the season: Supplement with a liquid balanced fertilizer every 2-4 weeks from late spring through summer to fuel vigorous foliage growth. A fertilizer with a slightly higher nitrogen content supports lush leaf development.
• In containers: Container plants require more frequent feeding than in-ground plants since nutrients leach with regular watering. Feed every 2 weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer at half strength.
• In fall: Taper off feeding as temperatures cool and the plant prepares to go dormant.

1. Choose a site with appropriate sun exposure (filtered to full sun) and access to consistent moisture.
2. Prepare the planting area by digging in 2-4 inches of compost or aged organic matter to a depth of 12 inches.
3. Dig a hole 1.5 to 2 times wider than the root ball and approximately the same depth.
4. Remove the plant from its nursery container and gently loosen any circling roots.
5. Set the plant in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with or slightly above the surrounding soil grade. Avoid planting too deeply.
6. Backfill with the amended soil, firming gently to eliminate air pockets.
7. Water thoroughly at planting and keep the soil consistently moist throughout the establishment period.
8. Apply a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch around the plant, keeping mulch a few inches away from the base of the stems, to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature.
9. For water garden planting, place the root ball in an aquatic planting basket filled with heavy loam or aquatic soil and submerge to a depth of up to 6 inches of water over the crown.

Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear is an easy-care plant that requires very little pruning. Here are the key maintenance tasks to keep it looking its best:

• Leaf removal: Remove individual leaves as they age, yellow, or become damaged. Cut the petiole (stem) near the base of the plant using clean, sharp pruners or scissors.
• End-of-season cleanup: In frost-free zones, cut back old, tattered foliage at the end of the growing season to encourage fresh new growth in spring. In colder zones, allow frost to knock back the foliage before cutting stems to the ground.
• Division: Clumps can be divided every few years in spring when new growth is just emerging. Divide the corms with a sharp spade and replant divisions immediately at the same soil depth.
• Offsets: This variety spreads by producing offsets (small corms) around the parent plant. These can be removed and potted up or replanted elsewhere in the garden.

In USDA Zones 7-10, Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear can be managed through winter with the following approaches depending on your zone:

• Zones 8b-10 (most of Northern California): Corms can remain in the ground year-round. Apply a thick (4-6 inch) layer of protective mulch over the root zone after the first frost to insulate the corms. Remove mulch in early spring as temperatures warm.
• Zone 7-8a (Southern Oregon and inland Northern California): After the first killing frost, cut the foliage back and carefully dig the corms. Shake off excess soil, allow to dry for a few days in a warm location, then store in barely moist peat moss, sawdust, or vermiculite in paper bags or cardboard boxes at 50-60°F. Replant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed in spring.
• Container growing in any zone: Simply move the container indoors to a bright, warm location before the first frost. Reduce watering significantly and allow the plant to rest. Resume regular watering in spring when new growth emerges.

The bold tropical texture and vivid stem color of Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch make it one of the most versatile statement plants available for warm-season gardens. Ideal applications include:

• Water gardens and pond edges: One of its best uses; the plant thrives in the consistently moist soil at pond margins and can even be planted as a shallow marginal aquatic.
• Rain gardens: An excellent plant for low-lying areas that collect runoff — its love of moisture turns a drainage challenge into a lush tropical focal point.
• Mixed tropical borders: Pairs beautifully with cannas, bananas, gingers, and hibiscus to create a lush, resort-style tropical garden.
• Containers and patio planters: A dramatic centerpiece plant in large containers; its bold form and colorful stems command attention on patios, decks, and entryways.
• Poolside plantings: The tropical aesthetic and moisture tolerance make it ideal for poolside landscaping.
• Specimen or accent plant: Use as a bold focal point in mixed perennial borders to add contrast in texture and form against fine-textured plants.
• Houseplant: Can be grown indoors year-round in a bright, humid location such as a sunroom or bright bathroom.

Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear pairs beautifully with other bold tropical and subtropical plants that share its love of warmth, moisture, and rich soil. Excellent companion plant choices include:

• Canna (Canna spp.): Tall, upright cannas with their paddle-shaped leaves and vivid flowers make a dramatic vertical counterpart to the low mounding elephant ear.
• Tropical Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis): The large, showy flowers of tropical hibiscus complement the bold foliage beautifully in containers or borders.
• Banana (Musa spp.): Another giant-leaved tropical that creates a layered, jungle-like effect when planted behind elephant ears.
• Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia spp.): The architectural form and exotic flowers of bird of paradise create an elegant contrast with the rounded elephant ear leaves.
• Mandevilla (Mandevilla spp.): Trained on an obelisk or trellis nearby, mandevilla's glossy leaves and trumpet flowers add a colorful vertical accent.
• Ginger (Hedychium spp.): Ornamental gingers share similar moisture and warmth preferences and add fragrance and exotic blooms to the tropical planting.
• Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus): An excellent companion for water garden and pond-edge plantings, adding fine, feathery texture as contrast to the bold elephant ear leaves.

Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear is an outstanding container plant and is well-suited to growing in large pots on patios, decks, and around pools. Follow these tips for best results:

• Container size: Choose a large container — at least 15-20 gallons — to accommodate the root system and allow for the vigorous growth the plant needs to reach its full potential. Larger containers also dry out less quickly.
• Potting mix: Use a rich, moisture-retentive potting mix. Amending a standard potting mix with additional compost improves water retention without sacrificing drainage.
• Watering: Containers dry out faster than in-ground plantings. Check soil moisture daily in warm weather and water thoroughly whenever the top inch of soil begins to feel dry. A self-watering container works very well for this plant.
• Fertilizing: Feed with a balanced liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks during the active growing season to compensate for nutrients lost through regular watering.
• Overwintering: Move containers indoors before the first frost to a warm, bright location such as a sunroom or under grow lights. Reduce watering significantly to allow the plant to rest, then resume normal care in spring.

Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch Elephant Ear is generally a robust and trouble-free plant with no serious pest or disease problems under normal growing conditions. However, gardeners should be aware of the following:

• Aphids: Occasionally cluster on new growth and leaf undersides. Knock off with a strong stream of water or treat with insecticidal soap.
• Spider mites: More common in hot, dry conditions or when grown indoors. Increase humidity around the plant and treat with neem oil or insecticidal soap if detected.
• Caterpillars / leaf-feeding insects: Occasional chewing damage may appear on leaves. Handpick caterpillars or treat with an appropriate organic insecticide such as Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) if damage is significant.
• Root rot: While the plant tolerates wet soil, standing water around the crown in cold conditions or in heavy clay can lead to corm rot. Ensure good air circulation and avoid leaving corms in waterlogged, cold soil over winter.
• Deer and rabbit resistance: This variety has good resistance to browsing by deer and rabbits, making it a reliable choice in areas with wildlife pressure.

All parts of Colocasia esculenta, including Royal Hawaiian Hawaiian Punch, contain calcium oxalate crystals and are considered toxic if ingested raw. Please be aware of the following safety considerations:

• Humans: Raw plant material causes oral irritation, intense burning and swelling of the mouth, tongue, and lips, excessive drooling, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting. All parts should be kept away from children.
• Pets: Toxic to cats, dogs, and horses. Keep pets away from this plant, both indoors and in the garden.
• Skin: Some individuals may experience mild skin irritation when handling the plant for extended periods. Wearing gloves when pruning or dividing is recommended.
• Cooking note: While the taro corm of Colocasia esculenta is a traditional food crop in many cultures, it must be thoroughly cooked to neutralize the calcium oxalate crystals. The corms of ornamental varieties are not intended for culinary use.