Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia
Types
Carissa bispinosa, Carissa carandas
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
20200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Coastal Regions, Tropical regions
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Light Red
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Shade areas
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water daily during growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune to control growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
-
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Thripes, Whiteflies
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Toxic
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bonsai, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CARISSA macrocarpa
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Carissia
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Carissa
अरवी
In German
carissa
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
carissa
Colocasia
In Spanish
carissa
Colocasia
In Greek
carissa
Colocasia
In Portuguese
carissa
Colocasia
In Polish
carissa
Kolokazja
In Latin
carissa
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Arales
Family
Apocynaceae
Araceae
Genus
Carissa
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
10010
1
27800
👆🏻