Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Tender Perennial
Origin
California
Southeastern Asia
Types
Heteromeles arbutifolia
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
3200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Foot Hills, low mountains, Woodlands
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-8
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
180.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
120.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Red, Orange Red
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require water in summer, Requires watering in the growing season
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, 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, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
-
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Solid Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Root Pathogen
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Acidic
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Body Ache, Stomach pain
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Sauces
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
HETEROMELES arbutifolia
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Christmas Berry, California Holly
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Toyon
अरवी
In German
Toyon
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Toyon
Colocasia
In Spanish
Toyon
Colocasia
In Greek
Toyon
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Toyon
Colocasia
In Polish
Toyon
Kolokazja
In Latin
Toyon
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Rosales
Arales
Family
Rosaceae
Araceae
Genus
Heteromeles
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Maleae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Amygdaloideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
610
1
27800
👆🏻