Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen, Grass
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico
Southeastern Asia
Types
Otatea acuminata ssp. acuminata, Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum, Otatea acuminata 'Dwarf'
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
20200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, tropical environments
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10 - 7
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Weeping
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Yellow green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long linear and narrow
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Divison
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Prune every year, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Requires high amount of nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Mealybugs
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
-
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
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Mealybugs
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
Skin irritation
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Windbreak
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
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, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
OTATEA acuminata
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Clumping Bamboo, Mexican Weeping Bamboo
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
मैक्सिकन बांस
अरवी
In German
Mexican Bambus
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Bamboo mexicaine
Colocasia
In Spanish
bambú mexicana
Colocasia
In Greek
Μεξικού μπαμπού
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Bamboo Mexican
Colocasia
In Polish
Mexican Bamboo
Kolokazja
In Latin
Mexicanus Bamboo
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Liliopsida
Order
Poales
Arales
Family
Poaceae
Araceae
Genus
Otatea
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
-
Aroideae
Number of Species
5510
1
27800
👆🏻