Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern Asia
Types
Orange, Dark Red (Ratan aboli), Yellow, Delhi Crossandra , Arka Ambara, Arka Kanaka (IIHR varieties)
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
6200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Screen Cottage and Informal Garden, Urban areas, Wild
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.60 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Orange Red
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
-
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
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
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
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Water daily during 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
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
Balanced 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
Medium
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
-
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Agroforestry
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Bronchitis, Cough, Liver problems, Menstrual Disorders
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Basketary, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Hedges, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Crossandra, firecracker flower
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Crossandra
अरवी
In German
Crossandra
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Crossandra
Colocasia
In Spanish
Crossandra
Colocasia
In Greek
Crossandra
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Crossandra
Colocasia
In Polish
Crossandra
Kolokazja
In Latin
Crossandra
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Arales
Family
Acanthaceae
Araceae
Genus
Crossandra
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
-
Aroideae
Number of Species
5210
1
27800
👆🏻