Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Europe, Middle Africa, Southern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Holy basil-
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
-
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
9-11
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Purple, Bronze
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Light Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Pruning
-
Don't prune in the fall, Prune regularly
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
-
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash, Vomiting
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders, Vomiting
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Air freshner, Can be made into a herbal tea, Used As Food, Used as a spice
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
OCIMUM basilicum 'Napoletano'
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Basil
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Basilikum
In French
Colocasia
basilic
In Spanish
Colocasia
albahaca
In Greek
Colocasia
βασιλικός
In Portuguese
Colocasia
manjericão
In Polish
Kolokazja
bazylia
In Latin
Colocasia
ocimum
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Asterids
Importance of Taro and Basil
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Basil. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Basil 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 Basil is Cough, Cramps, Digestive disorders, Insomnia, Skin Disorders and Vomiting. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Basil has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Basil
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 Basil 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 Basil have Respiratory problems, Runny nose, Skin rash and Vomiting respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Basil has no showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Basil is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Basil facts and facts of other plants too.