Forgot link sorry!

http://www.caladiumbulbs4less....

Oh yeah they sometimes are sponsors here for the Not-A-Raffle-Raffle and I see them on the Classifieds and Group Buys forum. I herd good things about them as well.

I won their prize earlier this year in one of the "not a raffle" raffles and the caladiums growing from their bulbs are simply amazing. Highly recommend.

I'm gonna called this one solved. Caladiums are beautiful, but confusing...as big as these leaves are, I think I'm OK with Elephant Ears!!

But, but but, Dawne... ..maybe you're teasing us. ..To gardeners, it is OK to not know the exact cultivar. We call them NOID (No I D) caladium. (noid daylily, etc) If you keep labeling that Elephant ear, someone will probably, eventually, correct you, as what are called elephant ears are 99% genus Colocasia, or Alocasia. Those would never have this kind of red coloring.
I've grown a couple kinds of elephant ears (Colocasia or Alocasia) and the leaves can be 3-4 feet, the entire stalk and leaf six feet tall, when grown really well.

I just don't want someone to visit your site six months from now and "school" you on your 'elephant ears'. 'Caladium' would be perfectly safe.

OOPS, OK!! See they confuse me!! I changed it back to unsolved. It's just that purpleinopp was the first response after I posted this photo and she said that name is used for them. Not trying to get her in trouble or anything either.

with sallyg (except for her math).

If its a Caladium, its not an Elephant Ear, its a Caladium. Go with that.

Daisy

You guys are too funny

with apologies to purpleinopp, I really think it's better to stay away form the term elephant ear for this one.

Lemme just say, my Colocasia and Alocasia got much, much, MUCH bigger than any Caladium

And less, less colorful.

As a nickname, no common name is ever wrong, just more or less common than several other nicknames that most plants have. Just like a person might be called "sweetie" by their Mom, "Dad" by their kids, some kind of sporty name by teammates... plants also have many nicknames. Even if you're the only one using it, it's not wrong, just the least common common name. There can be a vote to find the most popular, but that also wouldn't establish the other nicknames as wrong, just less popular.

That's one of the things I love about the database here, that it's possible for folks to add the common name they're using and many plants show a multitude of common names. That allows those plants to be found by any of those names here - and connects them all to the botanical name. Some common names of plants have an interesting, fun, educational, &/or historical story behind them. And who shows a friend or neighbor their plants and says (in person, verbally) stuff like, "here's my Kleinia petrea and Crassula ovata?" They probably say, "here's my trailing Jade and regular Jade."

Any time specificity is required, the botanical name can be used/established, then there will be no confusion.

If one does an image search for "elephant ear plant" many pics of Caladiums come up, a lot of people are using that as a common name for them.

plantladylin said:Lovely Caladiums, looks a lot like Fancy-leaf Caladium (Caladium 'Florida Cardinal')

I also have this one in my garden. with Lin.

with Tiffany on this. Caladiums, along with Colocasia and Alocasia, are commonly called elephant ears. Pretty sure the common name is more related to the shape of the leaves which really do look somewhat like the ear of an elephant.

There are small types of Colocasia and Alocasia that have leaves the same size as the bigger Caladiums too. In fact, I have a tiny Alocasia 'Quilted Dreams' that has leaves only 5 or 6in. long at most. (see second pic) I have Caladiums that make leaves 18in. long, and this beautiful Colocasia of mine generally has leaves smaller than that.



So, Dawne I think you can call them elephant ears if you want to, but Caladium is more specific.

I stand corrected I wasn't aware it was widely used. Thanks for the information, folks, and that's a great explanation as well, Tiffany

By the way, what with change to many scientific names, I often feel like I have to use two scientific names, PLUS a common name, just to convey which plant I mean these days

LOL! Be glad you're not into orchids! We have a separate thread called the names game over there.