Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tree
Tender Perennial
Origin
Melanesia, Australia
Southeastern Asia
Types
Umbrella plant
Amate
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
1000200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Roadsides, Tropical regions, Woods
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red, Purple
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Purple
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Soil Compaction
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water occasionally
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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Dermititis
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Arthritis, Asthma, Headache, Rheumatoid arthritis, Stomach pain
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Street Trees, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
SCHEFFLERA actinophylla
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Octopus Tree
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
ऑक्टोपस पेड़
अरवी
In German
Octopus tree
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
arbre Octopus
Colocasia
In Spanish
árbol pulpo
Colocasia
In Greek
χταπόδι δέντρο
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Octopus árvore
Colocasia
In Polish
Ośmiornica drzewo
Kolokazja
In Latin
polypus ligno
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Apiales
Arales
Family
Araliaceae
Araceae
Genus
Schefflera
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Aralioideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
1510
1
27800
👆🏻