Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Southern Europe
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Melissa officinalis
Number of Varieties
2005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-1
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 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm45.70 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Ovate
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
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Bees
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In Hindi
अरवी
नींबू बाम
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Lemonbalm
In French
Colocasia
mélisse
In Spanish
Colocasia
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Colocasia
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Kolokazja
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Colocasia
CITRAGO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Lamiales
Family
Araceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Melissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
-
Subfamily
Aroideae
Nepetoideae
Number of Species
104
1
27800
👆🏻