Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrub
Origin
-
Southern Africa
Types
Alocasia macrorhizzos, Alocasia odora
Carissa Carandas
Number of Varieties
-4
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Pastures, Wet forest
Coastal bush land, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-129-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H2, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Red
Hot Pink, Magenta, Purple, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Lime Green, Dark Green, Bronze
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Oval to roundish
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
creeping rhizomes, Vegetative Reproduction
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer, slow-release fertilizers
Equal amount of N,P,K
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, Leaf rust, Leaf spot, Snails
Aphids
Plant Tolerance
Full Sun, Humidity, Soil Compaction
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, pollinators, Snakes
Birds
Allergy
conjunctivitis, Itchy eyes, Sore Throat, Vomiting
Mildly Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
along a porch, deck or patio, Ground Cover, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Hair Conditioner
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, soil stabilisation, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Digestion problems, Rheumatism
Iron, Potassium, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Rhizomes
Fruits
Other Uses
Application in Handicrafts, Florist trade and landscaping, Showy Purposes
Cake, Jam, Jelly, Sauces
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Edging, Edible, Foundation, Groundcover, Hedges, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA x amazonica
CARISSA macrocarpa 'Emerald Blanket'
Common Name
African Mask, Amazon Taro, Elephant Ear
Large Num-Num
In Hindi
Alocasia
नेटाल बेर
In German
Alocasia
Natal Plum
In French
Alocasia
natal Plum
In Spanish
Alocasia
Ciruela Natal
In Greek
Alocasia
Natal Plum
In Portuguese
Alocasia
Natal Plum
In Polish
Alocasia
Natal Plum
In Latin
Alocasia
Natal Plum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Gentianales
Family
Araceae
Apocynaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Carissa
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Carisseae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Rauvolfioideae
Number of Species
-20
1
27800
👆🏻