Elephant ear plants, belonging to the Colocasia and Alocasia genera, are popular garden features known for their large, dramatic foliage. Gardeners often worry that these attractive plants will become a target for local wildlife, particularly rabbits, who are notorious for grazing on tender garden plants. Understanding the feeding preferences and biological defenses of the elephant ear helps protect your landscape.
Rabbit Feeding Habits and Elephant Ears
Rabbits generally avoid elephant ear plants, making them a low-priority food source. This natural aversion is due to the plant’s texture and taste, which rabbits find unappealing when other vegetation is available. The large, thick leaves and succulent stems of mature elephant ears are less desirable than the tender growth of grasses and garden vegetables.
While rabbits typically pass them by, a hungry rabbit might still nibble the leaves out of desperation. This is more likely during drought, deep snow, or in overpopulated areas where preferred food is scarce. Young, inexperienced rabbits may also sample the plants before learning the natural aversion. However, they rarely consume enough to cause extensive damage because of the immediate physical reaction the plant triggers.
Plant Toxicity
The primary reason rabbits and other herbivores instinctively avoid elephant ears is the plant’s built-in chemical defense mechanism. Elephant ear plants contain insoluble calcium oxalate crystals, which are needle-shaped structures known as raphides. These crystals are present throughout the leaves, stems, and tubers.
When a rabbit chews the plant tissue, the microscopic calcium oxalate crystals are released, causing immediate irritation. The sharp crystals penetrate the delicate tissues of the mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract, leading to a painful burning sensation and localized swelling. Symptoms of ingestion can include excessive drooling, pawing at the mouth, refusal to eat, and visible distress.
The intense, immediate pain acts as an effective deterrent, preventing the rabbit from consuming a large amount of the plant. If significant ingestion occurs, immediate attention from a veterinarian is required. A medical professional is necessary to manage the irritation and ensure the animal’s airway remains clear.
Protecting Your Garden and Local Wildlife
Gardeners can take simple, non-lethal steps to ensure rabbits steer clear of their elephant ears and other vulnerable plants. Physical exclusion is the most reliable defense against persistent grazers. Installing a low chicken wire fence or hardware cloth barrier around individual plants or garden beds successfully blocks rabbit access. For maximum effectiveness, this barrier should be about two feet tall and buried at least six inches deep to prevent burrowing underneath.
Cultural controls, such as removing places where rabbits can hide, also make the garden less appealing. Clearing away brush piles, tall weeds, and dense debris reduces the secure cover rabbits seek. Additionally, commercial or homemade deterrent sprays can be applied to make the plants unappetizing. These products often use scents or tastes rabbits dislike, such as garlic or spicy peppers, but they require frequent reapplication, especially after rain.