Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southern Africa
Southeastern Asia
Types
Carissa Carandas
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-11
10-11
Sunset Zone
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Not Available
Fruit Color
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, 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
Leaf Shape
Oval to roundish
V-Shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
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
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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 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
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed
Fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Not Available
Foliage Texture
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Bugs, Not Available, Snails
Allergy
Mildly Toxic
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Medicinal Uses
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
Yes
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
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 'Emerald Blanket'
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Large Num-Num
Elephant Ear, Taro
In German
Natal Plum
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
natal Plum
Colocasia
In Spanish
Ciruela Natal
Colocasia
In Greek
Natal Plum
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Natal Plum
Colocasia
In Polish
Natal Plum
Kolokazja
In Latin
Natal Plum
Colocasia
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Family
Apocynaceae
Araceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Carisseae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
Not Available
Season and Care of Natal Plum and Taro
Season and care of Natal Plum and Taro is important to know. While considering everything about Natal Plum and Taro Care, growing season is an essential factor. Natal Plum season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter and Taro season is Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. The type of soil for Natal Plum is Loam, Sand and for Taro is Loam, Sand while the PH of soil for Natal Plum is Acidic, Neutral and for Taro is Acidic, Neutral.
Natal Plum and Taro Physical Information
Natal Plum and Taro physical information is very important for comparison. Natal Plum height is 60.00 cm and width 60.00 cm whereas Taro height is 30.00 cm and width 30.00 cm. The color specification of Natal Plum and Taro are as follows:
Natal Plum flower color: White
Natal Plum leaf color: Dark Green
Taro flower color: White and Green
- Taro leaf color: Dark Green and Ivory
Care of Natal Plum and Taro
Care of Natal Plum and Taro include pruning, fertilizers, watering etc. Natal Plum pruning is done Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches and Remove dead leaves and Taro pruning is done No pruning needed. In summer Natal Plum needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water. Whereas, in summer Taro needs Lots of watering and in winter, it needs Average Water.