Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Epiphyte
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Southeastern Asia
Types
-
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
3200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Swamps
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1310-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.60 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Multi-Color
-
Fruit Color
-
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
-
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
-
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
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
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, pollinators
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
-
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Eye Problems
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Clamshell Orchid
अरवी
In German
Clamshell Orchid
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Clamshell Orchid
Colocasia
In Spanish
Clamshell Orchid
Colocasia
In Greek
Encyclia Cochleata
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Clamshell Orchid
Colocasia
In Polish
Clamshell Orchid
Kolokazja
In Latin
Clamshell Orchid
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Orchidales
Arales
Family
Orchidaceae
Araceae
Genus
Prosthechea
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Epidendreae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
5010
1
27800
👆🏻