Life Span
Annual
Annual and Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Broadleaf Evergreen
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Africa, Madagascar
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Pentas lanceolata, Pentas ledermannii
Number of Varieties
200300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Moist Soils, Wet ground, Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Clump-Forming
-
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm243.84 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm91.44 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
White, Red, Purple, Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Rooted stem cutting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
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
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Cut or pinch the stems, Pinch Tips, Prune in spring, Prune in summer, Remove branches, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove hanging branches
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 13-13-13 amounts
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Diarrhea, Malaria, Snakebite, To Treat Ascariasis, To Treat Lymphadenitis
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves, Root
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
Bedding Plant, Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
PENTAS
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Pentas, Star flower, Star cluster
In Hindi
अरवी
Pentas plant
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Pentas Pflanze
In French
Colocasia
plante Pentas
In Spanish
Colocasia
planta pentas
In Greek
Colocasia
φυτό Pentas
In Portuguese
Colocasia
planta Pentas
In Polish
Kolokazja
Pentas roślin
In Latin
Colocasia
Pentas herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Vascular plant
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Gentianales
Family
Araceae
Rubiaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Pentas
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Knoxieae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Rubioideae
Number of Species
1082
1
27800
👆🏻