Life Span
Annual
Annual
Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
New Zealand
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
2008
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1110-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
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
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
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, 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 leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Drought
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
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
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
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
अरवी
pohutukawa
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
pohutukawa
In French
Colocasia
pohutukawa
In Spanish
Colocasia
pohutukawa
In Greek
Colocasia
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
Colocasia
pohutukawa
In Polish
Kolokazja
pohutukawa
In Latin
Colocasia
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Arales
Myrtales
Family
Araceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
-
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
1012
1
27800
👆🏻