Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Europe, Asia
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Nepeta cataria
Number of Varieties
20020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Dry areas, Roadsides, stream banks, Stream side, Waste areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-113-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm980.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water when soil is dry
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune in spring, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
fertilize every 2-3 weeks while growing, fertilize in growing season
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Caterpillars, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought, Frost
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Flying insects, Insects, Spider Mites
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Avoid during Pregnancy, Headache, Stomach pain, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Arthritis, Cold, constipation, Fever, Insomia, Migraines, Upset stomach
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Air freshner, Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Making Perfumes, Making Shampoo, Making Sweet Scented Oil, Medicinal oil, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
NEPETA cataria
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Cat Nip, Catnip
In Hindi
अरवी
कटनीप
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Katzenminze
In French
Colocasia
cataire
In Spanish
Colocasia
Catnip
In Greek
Colocasia
Είδος δυόσμου
In Portuguese
Colocasia
catnip
In Polish
Kolokazja
Kocimiętka
In Latin
Colocasia
catnip
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Lamiales
Family
Araceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Nepeta
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Mentheae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
10250
1
27800
👆🏻