Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia
North America, Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Echinocactus parryi, Echinocactus texensis
Number of Varieties
20050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Desert, Gravels, Sandy areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-119-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Yellow, Magenta
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Red
Yellow
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
fertilize in summer, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Mealybugs, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Shade areas
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Insects, Mealybugs, Spider Mites
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Skin cuts
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification, Food for insects, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
ECHINOCACTUS
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Golden barrel cactus, Golden ball
In Hindi
अरवी
echinocactus
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
echinocactus
In French
Colocasia
echinocactus
In Spanish
Colocasia
echinocactus
In Greek
Colocasia
Echinocactus
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Echinocactus
In Polish
Kolokazja
Echinocactus
In Latin
Colocasia
Echinocactus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Caryophyllales
Family
Araceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Echinocactus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Cacteae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
1011
1
27800
👆🏻