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
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Cold Regions, Hills, Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
9-11
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
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
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
All year
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun
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
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 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 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
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Aphids, Bees, Beetles, Caterpillar, Small mammals
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Abdominal distension, flushing of face, hallucinations, Headache, Pollen
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
-
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin and hair
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
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
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
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 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
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Myrteae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Myrtoideae
Importance of Taro and Nutmeg
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Nutmeg. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Nutmeg 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 Nutmeg is Anemia, anti-cancer, Antispasmodic, Asthma, Diarrhea, Healing, Stomach spasms and Thoat infection. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Nutmeg has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Nutmeg
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 Nutmeg 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 Nutmeg have Abdominal distension, flushing of face, hallucinations, Headache and Pollen respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Nutmeg has no showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Nutmeg is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Nutmeg facts and facts of other plants too.