Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Polynesia
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
-
Number of Varieties
20080
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Forest edges, gardens, Homesteads
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Yellow, Red, Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Green, Dark Green, Brown
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Compound
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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, Partial shade
Pruning
-
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, 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
Mites, Nematodes, Scale
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
-
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
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
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Whole plant
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, Hedges, Houseplant, Screening / Wind Break, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Plerandra elegantissima
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
False Aralia
In Hindi
अरवी
Aralia
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
falsch Aralia
In French
Colocasia
faux Aralia
In Spanish
Colocasia
Falso Aralia
In Greek
Colocasia
Λάθος Aralia
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Aralia false
In Polish
Kolokazja
fałsz Aralia
In Latin
Colocasia
falsum Aralia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Apiales
Family
Araceae
Araliaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Plerandra
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
-
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
101
1
27800
👆🏻