$15.00 AUD
$20.00 AUD
Elephant Yam is a striking tropical aroid grown for its dramatic flower, bold foliage, and impressive underground corm. A member of the Araceae family, it’s related to familiar ornamentals such as arum lilies, philodendrons, monsteras and syngoniums.
Well suited to tropical and subtropical climates, Elephant Yam occurs naturally from India through to New Guinea and northern Australia. In Australia, it grows seasonally in tropical Queensland and the Northern Territory, making it well adapted to warm, humid SEQ conditions when frost is avoided.
This plant follows a unique cycle—producing one spectacular inflorescence, followed by a single, tree-like leaf.
The flower consists of a thick central spadix with a deep purple crown, surrounded by a large mottled purple-green spathe up to 50 cm wide.
When pollinated, the flowering spike can reach up to 2 m tall.
Like many Amorphophallus species, the flower emits a strong scent similar to rotting organic matter—this attracts natural pollinators such as flies and beetles 🪰
After flowering, the plant produces one enormous leaf that resembles a small umbrella tree:
Leaf span: up to 1 m wide
Stem: thick, fleshy, mottled green, up to 2 m tall
Highly ornamental and architectural when in full growth
Elephant Yam is deciduous, dying back completely at the end of the growing season to a large underground corm that can weigh up to 8 kg.
Light: Bright light, morning sun or dappled shade
Soil: Rich, organic, well-drained soil
Water: Regular watering during active growth; reduce sharply during dormancy
Position: Sheltered, warm, humid spot protected from frost
Containers: Excellent pot specimen in cooler parts of SEQ
👉 When pot-growing, choose a container at least twice the diameter of the corm and plant the corm deeply for stability.
Apply an occasional high-phosphorus fertiliser during the growing season to support leaf size and corm development. Avoid fertilising while dormant.
From corm offsets
From fresh seed sown in a slightly acidic mix
⚠️ Transplant only after the leaf has fully died back, as most stored energy is used to form the leaf and next season’s corm.
In parts of Asia, particularly Indonesia, selected varieties of Elephant Yam are grown as a food crop. (Note: not all forms are suitable for consumption without proper preparation.)
The main issue in cultivation is nematodes—healthy soil, crop rotation and good hygiene help reduce problems.
Plant Sizes: 50mm tube stock - Deciduous in winter yam only
Shipping
All items are posted on a Monday Express post, with Australia Post. If Monday is a public holiday they will be sent the Tuesday or the following Monday depending on the destination. We aim to deliver healthy and happy plants :)
No post to WA, NT and TAS due to quarantine restrictions and biosecurity
