Question
I live in Florida and I have an elephant ear and as I was watering it and removing dead undergrowth I noticed a white powdery looking substance at the base of the plant.  After further examination I realized it was also up several of the leaves and on the back of some of the leaves.  If you look really close it looks like some sort of larvae?  I'm not sure what this is or how to get rid of it....any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Delaina, it sounds like either "Scale" or "Mealy Bug" both insects that are easily controlled with either an Insecticidal Soap, or a Horticultural Oil. Scale and Mealy Bugs are very prevalent this time of year, but with an Elephant Ear, I wouldn't be overly concerned, for they are very resilient; you can easily eradicate them with the above suggestions. Nick