Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Southern Africa
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Gasteria brachyphylla, Gasteria rawlinsonii
Number of Varieties
20016
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Deciduous forests, River side, rocky banks of streams
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
13, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Rosette/Stemless
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm12.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm10.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Coral
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Tongue shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Bright direct sunlight, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Drought, Dry soil
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Leaf Cutting, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Do Not over Water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Less 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
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
-
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Fusarium root rot, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought, Heat And Humidity
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
Ants, Flies
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Irritation to intestines, Skin rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
For treating wrinkles, Good for the Scalp
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Aging, Blood disorders, Laxative
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Leaves, Sap
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Can be made into a herbal tea, Making Shampoo, Oil is used in mosquito repellents
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
GASTERIA
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Gasteria
In Hindi
अरवी
Gasteria
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Gasteria
In French
Colocasia
Gasteria
In Spanish
Colocasia
Gasteria
In Greek
Colocasia
Gasteria
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Gasteria
In Polish
Kolokazja
Gasteria
In Latin
Colocasia
Gasteria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
Monocots
Order
Arales
Asparagales
Family
Araceae
Aloaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Gasteria
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
-
Subfamily
Aroideae
Asphodeloideae
Number of Species
1016
1
27800
👆🏻