Type
Tender Perennial
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia
New Zealand
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Metrosideros excelsa
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
10-12
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Oval or Rounded
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
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Acicular
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
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
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 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 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
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
Yes
Foliage Texture
Bold
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
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
No
No
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
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 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
Genus
Alocasia
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Difference Between Taro and Pohutukawa
If you are confused whether Taro or Pohutukawa are same, here are some features about those plants to help you choose better. Many people think that these two plants have the same characteristics, but one can see Taro and Pohutukawa Information and learn more about it. Fertilizers required for proper growth of Taro are All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer and Less fertilizing, whereas for Pohutukawa fertilizers required are All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer. Hence, one should know the basic difference between Taro and Pohutukawa if you are planning to have them in your garden to enhance its beauty.
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Flowering Plants
Importance of Taro and Pohutukawa
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Pohutukawa. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Pohutukawa 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 Pohutukawa is Astringent and Dysentry. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Pohutukawa has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Pohutukawa
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 Pohutukawa 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 Pohutukawa have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Pohutukawa has no showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Pohutukawa is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Pohutukawa facts and facts of other plants too.