Royal Hawaiian Maui Gold Elephant Ear (Colocasia esculenta 'Maui Gold')
kol-oh-KAY-shah ess-kew-LEN-tah 'Maui Gold'

Deciduous Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Clump-Forming in the Araceae Family

A dramatic elephant ear from the University of Hawaii's Royal Hawaiian series, bred by Dr. John Cho, prized for its glossy chartreuse-to-gold heart-shaped leaves with a dark purple piko (the spot where the leaf meets the stem). Forms a bold clump to about 4ft tall and wide. A tropical perennial hardy only in zone 8-11, it's grown as a seasonal thriller in containers, water gardens, or tropical-style beds further north, including Chicago, then dug and stored or treated as an annual.

Pros

  • Glossy chartreuse-gold foliage with a dark purple piko (center spot)
  • Bold thriller for containers, water gardens, and tropical-style beds
  • Deer and rabbit resistant
  • Thrives in consistently moist to wet soil

Cons

  • Not winter hardy outdoors in Chicago - dig and store the tuber, or grow as an annual
  • All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals, toxic/irritant if chewed or ingested
  • Watch for aphids on new growth and spider mites
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 3 - 4 feet tall. 3 - 4 feet wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium - Wet
Zones 8b - 10b (Usually hardy to 15° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Colorful Foliage, Container, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Full Sun, Grown For Attractive Foliage, Insignificant Flowers, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Shade Tolerant, Tender Perennial, Thrillers, Tropical, Wet, Wet Site Tolerant
Bloom Period Rarely Blooms
Flower Color Insignificant
Foliage Color
 

In The News

Commonly Planted with...

Pairs well with other bold tropicals such as Canna, Colocasia siblings, or banana for a layered tropical container or bed display.

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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 06/22
2024 : 02/08 - 08/24
2023 : 03/02 - 07/08

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!