Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Southeastern Asia
Types
-
Taro Alocasia reginula, Night scented lily
Number of Varieties
370
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
Terrestrial, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-8
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Purple, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green, Silver, Black
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Full Sun, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Divison, From bulbs, From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Low
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Blight, Mites, Red spider mite
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Full Sun, Humidity
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Spider Mites
Allergy
Asthma
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
Air purification, Food for insects
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
-
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
-
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
ALOCASIA reginula
Common Name
River Birch
Elephant Ear
In Hindi
River Birch
Elephant Ear
In German
Fluss Birch
Elephant Ear
In French
Birch river
Elephant Ear
In Spanish
river Birch
Elephant Ear
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Elephant Ear
In Portuguese
river Birch
Elephant Ear
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Elephant Ear
In Latin
Betula
Elephant Ear
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Fagales
Alismatales
Family
Betulaceae
Araceae
Genus
Betula
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
-
Aroideae
Number of Species
379
1
27800
👆🏻