Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Broadleaf Evergreen, Grass
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Mexico
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Otatea acuminata ssp. acuminata, Otatea acuminata ssp. aztecorum, Otatea acuminata 'Dwarf'
Number of Varieties
20020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-119-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
10 - 7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 9, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Weeping
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Yellow green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Long linear and narrow
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
-
Prune every year, Prune to control growth, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Requires high amount of nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Aphids, Mealybugs
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Mealybugs
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification, Windbreak
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, Foundation, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
OTATEA acuminata
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Clumping Bamboo, Mexican Weeping Bamboo
In Hindi
अरवी
मैक्सिकन बांस
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Mexican Bambus
In French
Colocasia
Bamboo mexicaine
In Spanish
Colocasia
bambú mexicana
In Greek
Colocasia
Μεξικού μπαμπού
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Bamboo Mexican
In Polish
Kolokazja
Mexican Bamboo
In Latin
Colocasia
Mexicanus Bamboo
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Arales
Poales
Family
Araceae
Poaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Otatea
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
-
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
1055
1
27800
👆🏻