Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Southeastern Asia
Types
Not Available
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15
10-11
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Not Available
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Shape
Ovate
V-Shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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 pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
Not Available
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Aphids, Bugs, Not Available, Snails
Allergy
Toxic
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Not Available
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Elephant Ear, Taro
In German
Heliconia
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Heliconia
Colocasia
In Spanish
Heliconia
Colocasia
In Greek
Heliconia
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Heliconia
Colocasia
In Polish
Heliconia
Kolokazja
In Latin
Heliconia
Colocasia
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Arales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Araceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Not Available
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Not Available
Aroideae
Importance of Heliconia and Taro
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Heliconia and Taro. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Heliconia and Taro as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Heliconia is Healing whereas of Taro is Aging, Laxative and Weight loss. Heliconia has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available while Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Not Available.
Compare Facts of Heliconia vs Taro
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Heliconia vs Taro and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Heliconia are Toxic whereas of Taro have Swelling in mouth and Throat itching respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Heliconia has showy fruits and Taro has no showy fruits. Also Heliconia is not flowering and Taro is not flowering . You can compare Heliconia and Taro facts and facts of other plants too.