Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, Nepal
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Rubber Plant, Rubber Fig
Number of Varieties
20060
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
agricultural areas, Along Railroads, Coastal Regions, Forests, Roadsides, Scrubs, Suburban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1110-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Yellow, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Red, Dark Green, Crimson
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Elliptic to oblong
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
Fast
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
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings, Vegetative Reproduction
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Keep ground moist, Requires a lot of watering
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, Partial shade
Pruning
-
Prune for shortening long shoots
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
don't fertilize in winter
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Mealybugs, Red blotch, Scale, Spider mites, Yellow Leaves
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
-
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
-
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
-
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Asthma, breathing problems
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, soil erosion prevension on hill slopes
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Latex
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Making rubber, Making tyres
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
FICUS elastica
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Rubber Plant
In Hindi
अरवी
रबड़ का पौधा
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Ficus elastica
In French
Colocasia
Ficus elastica
In Spanish
Colocasia
ficus
In Greek
Colocasia
ελαστικός φίκος
In Portuguese
Colocasia
fábrica de borracha
In Polish
Kolokazja
gumy roślin
In Latin
Colocasia
Flexilis herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Rosales
Family
Araceae
Moraceae
Genus
Alocasia
Ficus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Ficeae
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
10800
1
27800
👆🏻