Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Nepal, Southern Asia, Southern Europe
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Myristica fragrans
Number of Varieties
200150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Cold Regions, Hills, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-119-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm1,000.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
-
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Oval
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
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
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
-
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Budding, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
-
In Early Autumn, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
fertilize in spring, Nitrogen
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Anthracnose, Armillaria mellea, Blight, Caterpillars, Crown gall, Crown rot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought, Frost
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Aphids, Bees, Beetles, Caterpillar, Small mammals
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Abdominal distension, flushing of face, hallucinations, Headache, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin and hair
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Erosion control, Food for birds, Food for insects, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Anemia, anti-cancer, Antispasmodic, Asthma, Diarrhea, Healing, Stomach spasms, Thoat infection
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Making deodorants, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in mosquito repellents, Used as a laxative, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in biomass
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Groundcover
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Myristica fragrans
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Nutmeg
In Hindi
अरवी
जायफल
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Muskatnuss
In French
Colocasia
noix de muscade
In Spanish
Colocasia
nuez moscada
In Greek
Colocasia
μοσχοκάρυδο
In Portuguese
Colocasia
noz-moscada
In Polish
Kolokazja
gałka muszkatołowa
In Latin
Colocasia
nutmeg
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Magnoliales
Family
Araceae
Poaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Myristica
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Myrteae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Myrtoideae
Number of Species
102
1
27800
👆🏻