elephant's-ear
Low (technical/botanical, gardening)Technical/Horticultural; occasionally informal in gardening contexts.
Definition
Meaning
A plant with very large, flat, and often heart-shaped leaves that resemble an elephant's ear.
The term is applied to several tropical and subtropical plants in the genera Alocasia, Colocasia (taro), and Caladium, primarily cultivated for their dramatic foliage.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a descriptive common name, not a formal taxonomic term. Highlights the visual analogy (size and shape of the leaf) rather than any functional attribute of the plant.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Both use the term for the same group of plants.
Connotations
Connotes exoticism, tropical gardens, and ornamental horticulture equally in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both dialects, confined to gardening and botanical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The [plant/garden] features an elephant's-ear.We planted an elephant's-ear next to the pond.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None directly associated with the plant name]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in horticultural trade or nursery stock listings.
Academic
Used in botanical descriptions and horticultural texts.
Everyday
Used by gardeners and plant enthusiasts.
Technical
Precise identification requires genus/species names (e.g., Colocasia esculenta).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The border needs to be elephant's-eared with some dramatic foliage.
American English
- She plans to elephant's-ear the shady corner of her yard.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- This plant has very big leaves.
- The elephant's-ear in our garden grows very quickly in the summer.
- Due to its impressive, heart-shaped foliage, the elephant's-ear is often used as a focal point in subtropical garden design.
- While often grown ornamentally, certain cultivars of elephant's-ear, specifically Colocasia esculenta, are cultivated as a staple starch crop across Polynesia and Southeast Asia.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an elephant using one of its large, flappy ears to fan a tiny, colourful plant. That plant is the elephant's-ear.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANT IS ANIMAL (specifically, PART OF ANIMAL FOR WHOLE PLANT). The salient characteristic (the large ear) stands for the entire organism.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not translate literally as "ухо слона" in a botanical context, as it is a fixed name. The established Russian term is "колоказия" or "таро" for the edible species, or descriptive "растение со слоновьими ушами".
Common Mistakes
- Using 'elephant-ear' (without the possessive 's).
- Confusing it with 'Elephant Ear' as a brand name for pastries or audio equipment.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (unless starting a sentence).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary reason for the name 'elephant's-ear'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Often, yes. 'Elephant's-ear' commonly refers to plants in the genus Colocasia, the most famous of which is Colocasia esculenta, the taro plant grown for its edible corms.
Yes, many varieties like Alocasia and Caladium are popular houseplants, but they require high humidity, bright indirect light, and consistently moist soil.
Yes, most species contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are irritating if ingested and can cause swelling of the mouth and throat. They should be kept away from pets and children.
A key difference is leaf orientation: Alocasia leaves typically point upwards or outwards, while Colocasia leaves tend to point downwards. Also, Colocasia esculenta has edible parts, whereas Alocasia is primarily ornamental.