Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Mexico
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Opuntia ficus-indica
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Desert
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
8-12
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
White, Green
Yellow, Red, Orange
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Red
Reddish Plum
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Globe shaped
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Does not require lot of watering, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune ocassionally, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Aphids, Caterpillars, Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red spider mite, Rodent, Root rot, Scale, Slugs, Snails, Thripes, Viruses, Worms
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Foliage Texture
Bold
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Aphids, Birds, Rodents
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Nourishes scalp, Reduce Bruises, Remove blemishes
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea, Hangover
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Biomass for fuel, Employed in herbal medicine, Fine spines and trichomes are used as fiber for weaving, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Fruit, Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
OPUNTIA ficus-indica
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Indian fig opuntia, Barbary fig, cactus pear, spineless cactus
In Hindi
अरवी
Opuntia ficus-indica
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Opuntia ficus-indica
In French
Colocasia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Spanish
Colocasia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Greek
Colocasia
Φραγκοσυκιά
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Polish
Kolokazja
Opuntia ficus-indica
In Latin
Colocasia
Opuntia ficus-indica
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Caryophyllales
Genus
Alocasia
Opuntia Mill
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Opuntieae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Opuntioideae
Importance of Taro and Barbary Fig
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Barbary Fig. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Barbary Fig 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 Taro is Aging, Laxative and Weight loss whereas of Barbary Fig is Antioxidants, Diabetes, Diarrhea and Hangover. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Barbary Fig has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Barbary Fig
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 Taro vs Barbary Fig 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 Taro are Swelling in mouth and Throat itching whereas of Barbary Fig have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Barbary Fig has showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Barbary Fig is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Barbary Fig facts and facts of other plants too.