Elephant Ear Plants, or Colocasia, are tropical plants grown from tubers or from rooted plants. Elephant Ears have very large heart-shaped leaves borne on 2-3ft (6-9m) petiole or leaf stalks. Colours of the foliage may be anywhere from purplish black, green or green/white variegated. Colocasia is a swamp plant that develops a hardy root system under the water. For this reason, elephant ears make great landscape plants, in, around, or near water features in the garden.