I Never Planted ‘Pink China’

Raleigh didn’t have a particularly cold or warm winter. The winter of 2025/2026 was characterized as a cool and dry season and was considered the sixth-driest winter since 1944.

So why am I noticing that, in my home garden, the Bee Better Teaching Garden, and the conservation garden where I work part-time, the Joslin Garden, these lovely elephant ears are popping up—everywhere! I never planted this elephant ear cultivar, ‘Pink China’, but for some reason it has made its home in my garden and in the garden where I work.

One might think that I’m the common denominator, but I promise you, I am not; well, maybe I am. If I planted them, I would be honest and tell you. The only question I have is why are you showing up now?

‘Pink China’ is a lovely cultivar of Colocasia esculenta; I’ve seen it for sale at Tony’s nursery, but I never purchased it. I like elephant ears, but I’m satisfied with a few little ones like Colocasia esculenta ‘Tea Cup’.

At first, I thought they were charming, and I was even a little giddy for their arrival. As I researched this cultivar, I realized it is highly invasive. But where was it coming from?

From my research, I learned that ‘Pink China’ is legendary in North Carolina gardening circles because it was originally sourced and popularized right here in Raleigh by Tony Avent at Juniper Level Botanic Garden. Because it is so tough, it has been widely given away at local plant swaps, shared over fences by neighbors, and planted in local public spaces for years; it has spread to even further reaches.

Because I buy bulk composted leaf mulch from the City for my home garden and the Joslin Garden, it could have come in through the mulch. Or a tuber or runner could have been hiding in the soil of a pass-along plant.

Given Raleigh’s ranking of having the sixth-driest winter since 1944, I am even more surprised, since elephant ears like moist soil, and the drought started during this past winter.

It’s a mystery. I have no plans to see what they’ll do. Out they’ll go. I need to make sure I’m on top of removing every trace of this plant, or it will overtake other plants I grow.

Until soon,

Helen