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Growing Inspiration
Inspiration for future Agardeni growing environments.
ornamentalFamily: AraceaeGenus: ColocasiaSpecies: esculenta
Cultivar
Tea Cup Elephant Ear
Colocasia esculenta 'Tea Cup'
Cultivar: Tea Cup
This dramatic elephant ear features glossy, dark green leaves held on dark, near-black stems that arch upward. The leaves are uniquely oriented to cup upward, collecting water and adding a sculptural architectural element to tropical garden designs or containers. It thrives in high-moisture environments and provides a bold, vertical accent in both garden beds and patio displays.
Colocasia 'Tea Cup' is a striking tropical plant known for its unique, upward-facing leaves that capture rainwater like small tea cups.
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18-plant pack · Ship
$84.63per pack
$84.63 total
216 plants available · max 12 packs
Shipping & Delivery
Orders generally ship within 3–7 days after purchase. Agardeni gives priority to USPS Priority Mailfor standard live-plant shipments when practical.
USPS Priority Mail typically has a 2–3 day delivery objective after shipment, but delivery times are not guaranteed.
Weather & Temperature Risk
Agardeni ships from Florida and does not monitor destination temperatures nationwide. Customers are responsible for considering local weather conditions and retrieving packages promptly after delivery.
Agardeni is not responsible for plant damage caused by freezing temperatures, frost, excessive heat, or prolonged exposure to extreme temperatures at the destination.
Inspect live plants promptly after delivery. Eligible plant-condition claims must be submitted within 48 hours of confirmed delivery.
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Cultivar Story
Start with Inspiration. Grow Your Aspiration.
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Marketplace Plant
A realistic representation of the starter plants offered in 18, 36, and 72 plant quantities.
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Aspirational Garden
Grow your aspirational plan into an inspirational garden.
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Plant Detail
A closer look at the fruit, flower, foliage, or mature defining characteristics of this cultivar.
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Repotting / Start Growing
Begin with a starter plant and establish it in a larger pot using quality potting soil with beneficials and fertilizer.
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Start · Plan · Grow
Start with real plants. Plan with current marketplace availability. Grow your aspirational garden.
Cultivar Video
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See this cultivar from starter plant to aspirational garden.
Plant Profile
Grow Tea Cup Elephant Ear with confidence
Key growing information first, with the complete reviewed cultivar profile available when you want it.
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Sun
Partial shade to full sun with protection from intense afternoon heat.
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Water
Keep soil constantly moist; this plant tolerates and even thrives in wet, saturated soil conditions.
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Mature size
3 to 4 feet tall and wide.
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Hardiness
8-11
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Growth habit
Clumping tropical perennial.
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Plant type
tropical foliage plant
View Plant Data
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
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View Plant Data
Care, size, flowering, climate, soil, health, and additional reviewed data.
Good to know
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Growing note
Ensure the plant is kept consistently moist; it can be grown as an aquatic plant in shallow pond margins or boggy areas.
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Climate note
Thrives in heat and humidity; not frost tolerant and requires winter protection or lifting in cooler climates.
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Flower / fruit
Grown primarily for its foliage; flowering is rare and typically insignificant.
Growing & Care
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
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Growing & Care
Everyday care, growth, feeding, and pruning guidance.
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Sun / light
Partial shade to full sun with protection from intense afternoon heat.
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Growth rate
Moderate to fast during warm growing seasons.
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Fertilizer
Heavy feeder during the growing season; use a balanced, liquid, or granular fertilizer to support lush foliage growth.
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Pruning
Remove old or damaged leaves at the base to maintain a tidy appearance.
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Care notes
Ensure the plant is kept consistently moist; it can be grown as an aquatic plant in shallow pond margins or boggy areas.
Size & Habit
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
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Size & Habit
How the plant grows and the space it needs at maturity.
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Mature size
3 to 4 feet tall and wide.
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Growth habit
Clumping tropical perennial.
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Spacing
3 to 4 feet apart.
Flower / Fruit
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
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Flower / Fruit
Flowering, fruiting, pollination, bloom, and harvest behavior.
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Flowering / fruiting
Grown primarily for its foliage; flowering is rare and typically insignificant.
Climate & Hardiness
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
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Climate & Hardiness
Cold, heat, chill, and regional growing considerations.
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Hardiness zones
8-11
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Temperature
Thrives in heat and humidity; not frost tolerant and requires winter protection or lifting in cooler climates.
Soil & Water
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
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Soil & Water
Moisture, drainage, soil, and pH preferences.
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Watering
Keep soil constantly moist; this plant tolerates and even thrives in wet, saturated soil conditions.
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Soil
Rich, organic, moisture-retentive potting mix or garden soil.
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Soil pH
5.5-6.5
More Plant Data
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
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More Plant Data
19 additional reviewed fields from this Plant.id.
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Container Growing
Excellent for container use; use a water-retentive mix and ensure containers do not dry out between waterings.
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Family
Araceae
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Foliage Look
Glossy, dark green, cup-shaped foliage with distinct dark stems.
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Foliage Rules
Leaves are distinctively cupped upward, glossy green, with dark purple-black stems.
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Fruit Flower Look
Insignificant, rare, spathe-and-spadix type inflorescence.
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Fruit Flower Rules
Do not depict flowers on juvenile starter plants.
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Growth Habit Rules
Maintain the vertical, clumping habit; do not depict as a vining or trailing plant.
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Mature Plant Look
A bold, sculptural clumping plant with upward-facing leaves.
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Mature Stage Morphology
Large, upright-cupped foliage on sturdy, dark stems forming a dense, architectural clump.
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Morphology Rules
Ensure foliage is prominently cupped and stems are significantly darker than the leaf blades.
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Plant Faqs
Does Tea Cup Elephant Ear need lots of water? Yes, it thrives in consistently moist, boggy soil. How tall does Colocasia Tea Cup grow? It typically reaches 3 to 4 feet in height. Can I grow this in a pot? Yes, it makes an excellent container specimen provided it stays hydrated. Is it frost hardy? No, it is a tropical plant and should be brought indoors or stored in frost-free conditions during winter.
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Root Look
Healthy, white fibrous roots emerging from a standard nursery plug.
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Soil Look
Dark, moist, rich, organic potting medium.
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Starter Stage
Small, tender tropical starter plug with developing leaves.
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Starter Stage Morphology
Young, heart-shaped leaves with distinct petioles, emerging from a small root plug.
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Video Voiceover Script
Welcome to Agardeni, where inspiration for gardening helps us imagine how and where we will grow Tea Cup Elephant Ear. This is Tea Cup Elephant Ear, available as 18, 36, and 72 plant starter trays through the Agardeni Marketplace. Let Tea Cup Elephant Ear become part of your aspirational plan, helping you imagine the future tropical garden space you want to create. The defining feature of this cultivar is its stunning foliage that cups upward, collecting water and providing a unique sculptural look in the landscape. Establish your starter by potting it into a four-inch pot with quality, well-draining mix, then move it to an appropriate final container or garden location once established. Find your inspiration with Agardeni. Explore real plants and real availability. Start. Plan. Grow.
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Youtube Tags
Colocasia Tea Cup Elephant Ear Tropical Plants Garden Inspiration Foliage Plants Container Gardening Agardeni
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Youtube Video Summary
Explore the unique sculptural foliage of Colocasia 'Tea Cup'. This tropical perennial is perfect for adding height and architecture to moisture-rich garden spaces and containers.
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Youtube Video Title
Growing Colocasia esculenta 'Tea Cup' - Elephant Ear
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Future Buyer Brand Sellers
Possible future seller options for 2.5-inch, 4-inch, and 1-gallon finished plants.