Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Fern
Tender Perennial
Origin
Europe, Eastern Europe, Southern Europe, Western Europe, Turkey
Southeastern Asia
Types
Not Available
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
Not Available
Habitat
Shady Edge, Woodland Garden Dappled Shade
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-9
10-11
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
Not Available
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Not Available
Fruit Color
Not Available
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Shape
Saw-tooth like
V-Shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Shade, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
All year
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought, Dry Conditions, Light Frost, Shade areas, Variety of soil types
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Divison, From Rhizomes, Spores
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
when new, water every week
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Shade, Partial shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed
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
None
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
Not Available
Foliage Texture
Fine
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Invasive
Not Available
No
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Aphids, Bugs, Not Available, Snails
Allergy
Not Available
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Medicinal Uses
Poultice, Sore throat, Tonsillitis
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
POLYSTICHUM setiferum
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Alaska fern
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Soft Shield Fern
अरवी
In German
Grannen-Schildfarn
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Soft Shield Fern
Colocasia
In Spanish
Soft Shield Fern
Colocasia
In Greek
Soft Shield Fern
Colocasia
In Portuguese
Soft Shield Fern
Colocasia
In Polish
Soft Shield Fern
Kolokazja
In Latin
Soft Shield Fern
Colocasia
Phylum
Pteridophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Filicopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Polypodiales
Arales
Family
Dryopteridaceae
Araceae
Genus
Polystichum
Alocasia
Clade
Not Available
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Not Available
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Not Available
Aroideae
Number of Species
Not Available
Importance of Soft Shield Fern and Taro
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Soft Shield Fern and Taro. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Soft Shield Fern 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 Soft Shield Fern is Poultice, Sore throat and Tonsillitis whereas of Taro is Aging, Laxative and Weight loss. Soft Shield Fern has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin while Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Good for skin.
Compare Facts of Soft Shield Fern 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 Soft Shield Fern 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 Soft Shield Fern are Not Available 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. Soft Shield Fern has no showy fruits and Taro has no showy fruits. Also Soft Shield Fern is not flowering and Taro is not flowering . You can compare Soft Shield Fern and Taro facts and facts of other plants too.
