Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
India, Nepal, China
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Betula utilis
Number of Varieties
2002
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Mountains
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-115-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
7-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Tan, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Cordiform
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Grafting, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Average Water
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, slow-release fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Honey fungus, Leaves with brown tip, Phytophthora Root Rot, Powdery mildew, Verticillium Wilt
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Dry Conditions, waterlogging, Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
-
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
-
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Antioxidants, Antiseptic, Carminative
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used in construction, Wood is used in construction
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
BETULA utilis
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Himalayan Birch
In Hindi
अरवी
हिमालय सन्टी
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Himalaya-Birke
In French
Colocasia
bouleau de l'Himalaya
In Spanish
Colocasia
abedul del Himalaya
In Greek
Colocasia
Himalayan σημύδας
In Portuguese
Colocasia
bétula Himalaia
In Polish
Kolokazja
Himalayan brzoza
In Latin
Colocasia
Birch Himalayan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Fagales
Family
Araceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
-
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
1030
1
27800
👆🏻