It grows from a corm, so if she cuts it while it's not producing new growth, I would assume there wouldn't be a problem. If that doesn't work out, she most likely can get plenty of corms of varying sizes for cheap at an Asian grocery store.

Do you have a picture of it? I didn't know they could grow trunks.

Here we are, nearly 7 years to the day from the last post on this thread, and I'd like to revive it, please!

I too have an elephant ears plant that needs work. The brown "trunk" is about 2 feet tall - straight up! - with two thin green stems coming from it. They're about 2 feet long each as well, with one small (about the size of an open hand) leaf at the end of each green stem. It's alive, and OK, but it sure isn't pretty with that funny brown "trunk" being half the plant!

Can I just cut the brown stem down to a couple inches above the soil line? Will it come back? I live in zone 5b. The plant lives in the house most of the time, but in the warmer spring, summer, and autumn weather, I sometimes leave it outside - where it grows tall and beautiful.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

Michelle

Good if you post some photos so people know which plant you're asking questions about. Many different plants go by the common name "Elephant Ears", even some trees have that name.

I have an A. Calidora with a sm trunk. Though it's not as clean looking as some palm trunks, I like the palm-like look. The only thing I've ever read about getting rid of trunks on EEs was from a nursery for a Colocasia Esculenta 'black magic'. It suggested to plant the EE deeper. But that might not work in your case. They were referring to nubs (small trunk) being protected from winter freezing.

There is a species of Yucca plant: "Spanish bayonet (Yucca aloifolia)" that when the trunk gets too tall, it gradually leans over to the ground and starts rooting where what used to be the top of the trunk is now touching the ground. Maybe safely re-planting your EE mostly on its side like that Yucca is a long shot in your situation, but it might be worth considering. A pic would help with determining what could be best.