Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrubs, Spurge
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Madagascar, South Africa
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Jatropha bullockii, Jatropha cinerea, Jatropha excisa
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Pastures, Roadsides, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
Not Available
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
Not Available
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Not Available
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
Not Available
Fruit Color
Red
Light Green, Lime Green, Yellow, Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Palmately Lobed
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Dry, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
All year
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Needs less watering, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
In Spring
Moderate
Less Watering
In Winter
Average Water
Less Watering
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Bright direct sunlight, Full Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No fertilizers needed
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Anthracnose, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought, Drought and Salt, Heat Tolerance
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
Single
Foliage Texture
Bold
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Not Available
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Not Available, Snails
Bees, Flying insects, Hoverflies
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
allergic conjunctivitis, Eye irritation
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Not Available, Not Used For Aesthetic Purpose
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin and hair, Removes pimples, Skin inflammation, Skin irritation
Edible Uses
Yes
Sometimes
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification, Insect Repellent, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Suppresses or replaces native plants, Versatility
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
anti-allergy, epilepsy, Fever, Skin irritation, Skin Redness
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Leaves, Sap, Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Oil is used as fuel, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used in biomass
Used As Indoor Plant
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening, Wind Break, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
JATROPHA
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Barbados nut, purging nut, physic nut, or JCL
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Purgiernuß
In French
Colocasia
purghère
In Spanish
Colocasia
frailejón
In Greek
Colocasia
jatropha
In Portuguese
Colocasia
galamaluco
In Polish
Kolokazja
jatrofa
In Latin
Colocasia
Jatropha
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Euphorbiales
Family
Araceae
Euphorbiaceae
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Dicotyledonous
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Jatropheae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Crotonoideae
Importance of Taro and Jatropha
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Jatropha. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Jatropha as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Taro is Aging, Laxative and Weight loss whereas of Jatropha is anti-allergy, epilepsy, Fever, Skin irritation and Skin Redness. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Jatropha has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Jatropha
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Taro vs Jatropha and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Taro are Swelling in mouth and Throat itching whereas of Jatropha have allergic conjunctivitis and Eye irritation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Jatropha has showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Jatropha is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Jatropha facts and facts of other plants too.