Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Epiphyte
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Southeastern United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, Caribbean, Central America, South America
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
-
Number of Varieties
2003
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1110-13
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm25.60 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Burgundy, Dark Red, Light Green, Violet, Dark Salmon
Flower Color Modifier
-
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Red
-
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
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
-
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Bulbs, By dividing rhizomes, tubers, Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
-
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
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
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Bees, pollinators
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Bouquets, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Cancer, Eye Problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Bulbs, Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
PROSTHECHEA cochleata
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Clamshell Orchid, Cockleshell Orchid, Black Orchid
In Hindi
अरवी
Clamshell Orchid
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Clamshell Orchid
In French
Colocasia
Clamshell Orchid
In Spanish
Colocasia
Clamshell Orchid
In Greek
Colocasia
Encyclia Cochleata
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Clamshell Orchid
In Polish
Kolokazja
Clamshell Orchid
In Latin
Colocasia
Clamshell Orchid
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Arales
Orchidales
Family
Araceae
Orchidaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Prosthechea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Epidendreae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Epidendroideae
Number of Species
1050
1
27800
👆🏻