Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Southern Europe
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Melissa officinalis
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Dappled Shade, Mediterranean region, Shady Edge, Woodland Garden
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
4-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Light Green
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Ovate
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Deer resistant, Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
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 branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Nitrogen, Potassium
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Gray leaf blight, Gray mold, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Deer resistant, Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Bees
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Avoid during Pregnancy, Skin irritation
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin, Skin Problems
Edible Uses
Yes
Insignificant
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Deer resistant, Insect Repellent
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia, Sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Can be made into a herbal tea, Medicinal oil, Used as insect repellent, Used for its medicinal properties, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
MELISSA officinalis
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Lemonbalm, balm, common balm, balm mint
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Lemonbalm
In French
Colocasia
mélisse
In Spanish
Colocasia
Lemonbalm
In Greek
Colocasia
Lemonbalm
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Lemonbalm
In Polish
Kolokazja
Lemonbalm
In Latin
Colocasia
CITRAGO
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Subfamily
Aroideae
Nepetoideae
Importance of Taro and Lemonbalm
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Lemonbalm. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Lemonbalm 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 Lemonbalm is Antiemetic, Anxiety, Appetite enhancer, Digestion problems, Insomnia and Sedative. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Lemonbalm has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Lemonbalm
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 Lemonbalm 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 Lemonbalm have Avoid during Pregnancy and Skin irritation respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Lemonbalm has no showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Lemonbalm is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Lemonbalm facts and facts of other plants too.