Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Eastern Africa, Middle Africa
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Kigelia africana
Number of Varieties
2009
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Riverine forest, wooded grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-119-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Arching/Fountain-shaped
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm910.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Dark Red, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
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
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Balanced liquid fertilizer monthly
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Leaf spot, Mealybugs, Rust
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Poisonous when unripe
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Acne, Slow downs aging
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Gynaecological, Malaria, STDs
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Dried seeds, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used to flavour beer, Used to produce a red dye
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
KIGELIA africana
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Sausage Tree
In Hindi
अरवी
Sausage Tree
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Sausage Tree
In French
Colocasia
saucisse Arbre
In Spanish
Colocasia
Árbol de salchicha
In Greek
Colocasia
λουκάνικο δέντρο
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Árvore de salsicha
In Polish
Kolokazja
kiełbasa Drzewo
In Latin
Colocasia
farciminis ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Lamiales
Family
Araceae
Bignoniaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Kaempferia
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Tecomeae
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
109
1
27800
👆🏻