Life Span
Annual
Biennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
-
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Chinese red birch, Betula fruticosa, Betula ermanii
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Rocky areas, Sandy areas, Well Drained, Wet forest, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
4-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 14, 15, 16
Habit
Clump-Forming
Pyramidal
Flower Color
White, Green
Yellow, Tan
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Bronze, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Yellow, Red, Orange
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Heart-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
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove short branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring, Fertilize in late fall, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
-
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Ants, Birds, Insects
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Itchiness, Pollen, Sore Throat
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification, Shadow Tree
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Bone strength, Dermatitis, Eczema, Eliminate toxins, Heart problems, High cholestrol, Immunity, Kidney problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used in paper industry
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
BETULA 'Crimson Frost'
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Birch, Crimson Frost Birch
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Birke
In French
Colocasia
Arbre de bouleau
In Spanish
Colocasia
Abedul
In Greek
Colocasia
Birch Tree
In Portuguese
Colocasia
bétula
In Polish
Kolokazja
Brzoza
In Latin
Colocasia
Caerulus
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Family
Araceae
Betulaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Subfamily
Aroideae
Carpinaceae
Importance of Taro and Birch
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Birch. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Birch 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 Birch is anti-inflammatory, Arthritis, Bone strength, Dermatitis, Eczema, Eliminate toxins, Heart problems, High cholestrol, Immunity and Kidney problems. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Birch has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Birch
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 Birch 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 Birch have Itchiness, Pollen and Sore Throat respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Birch has no showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Birch is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Birch facts and facts of other plants too.