Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrub
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Southern Africa
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Carissa Carandas
Number of Varieties
2004
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Red
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Oval to roundish
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
Slow
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
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs
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
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 leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Equal amount of N,P,K
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Birds
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Mildly Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
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
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Large Num-Num
In Hindi
अरवी
नेटाल बेर
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Natal Plum
In French
Colocasia
natal Plum
In Spanish
Colocasia
Ciruela Natal
In Greek
Colocasia
Natal Plum
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Natal Plum
In Polish
Kolokazja
Natal Plum
In Latin
Colocasia
Natal Plum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Gentianales
Family
Araceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
1020
1
27800
👆🏻