Life Span
Annual
  
Perennial
  
Type
Tender Perennial
  
Tender Perennial
  
Origin
Southeastern Asia
  
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
  
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
  
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
  
Number of Varieties
Not Available
  
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
  
Tropical regions
  
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-11
  
8-15
  
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
  
12-5
  
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
  
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
  
Habit
Clump-Forming
  
Clump-Forming
  
Plant Size
  
  
Plant Color
  
  
Flower Color
White, Green
  
White, Red, Light Pink
  
Flower Color Modifier
Not Available
  
Multi-Color
  
Fruit Color
Red
  
Not Available
  
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
  
Dark Green
  
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
  
Dark Green
  
Shape
  
  
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
  
Lance shaped
  
Thorns
No
  
No
  
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
  
Growing Conditions
  
  
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Growth Rate
Fast
  
Fast
  
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
  
Loam, Sand
  
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
  
Acidic, Neutral
  
Soil Drainage
Well drained
  
Average
  
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
  
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
  
Repeat Bloomer
No
  
No
  
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
  
Drought
  
Where to Plant?
Container
  
Container, Ground, Pot
  
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
  
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
  
Plant Maintenance
Medium
  
Medium
  
Watering Plants
  
  
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
  
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
  
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
  
Average
  
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
  
Partial Sun, Partial shade
  
Pruning
No pruning needed
  
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
  
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
  
Apply 8-4-6 amount
  
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
  
No serious insect or disease problems
  
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
  
Drought
  
Flowers
Insignificant
  
Showy
  
Flower Petal Number
Not Available
  
Single
  
Fruits
  
  
Showy Fruit
No
  
No
  
Edible Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrance
  
  
Fragrant Flower
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Fruit
No
  
No
  
Fragrant Leaf
No
  
Yes
  
Fragrant Bark/Stem
No
  
Yes
  
Showy Foliage
Yes
  
No
  
Showy Bark
No
  
No
  
Foliage Texture
Bold
  
Coarse
  
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
  
Glossy
  
Evergreen
No
  
No
  
Invasive
No
  
No
  
Self-Sowing
No
  
Yes
  
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Not Available, Snails
  
Butterflies, Not Available
  
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
  
Rash
  
Uses
  
  
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
  
Showy Purposes
  
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
  
Good for skin
  
Edible Uses
Yes
  
Yes
  
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
  
Air purification
  
Plant Benefits
  
  
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
  
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
  
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
  
Leaves, Rhizomes
  
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
  
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
  
Used As Indoor Plant
No
  
Yes
  
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
  
Yes
  
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
  
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
  
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
  
ALPINIA zerumbet
  
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
  
Shell Ginger
  
In Hindi
अरवी
  
Shell Ginger
  
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
  
Shell Ginger
  
In French
Colocasia
  
Shell Ginger
  
In Spanish
Colocasia
  
Shell jengibre
  
In Greek
Colocasia
  
Shell Τζίντζερ
  
In Portuguese
Colocasia
  
Shell Ginger
  
In Polish
Kolokazja
  
Shell Imbir
  
In Latin
Colocasia
  
Crusta Ginger
  
Kingdom
Plantae
  
Plantae
  
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
  
Magnoliophyta
  
Class
Liliopsida
  
Lilopsida
  
Order
Arales
  
Zingiberales
  
Family
Araceae
  
Zingiberaceae
  
Genus
Alocasia
  
Alpinia
  
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
  
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
  
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
  
Alpinieae
  
Subfamily
Aroideae
  
Alpinioideae
  
Number of Species
Not Available
  
Importance of Taro and Shell Ginger
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Taro and Shell Ginger. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Taro and Shell Ginger 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 Shell Ginger is Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic and Hypotensive. Taro has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss while Shell Ginger has beauty benefits as follows: Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser and Weightloss.
Compare Facts of Taro vs Shell Ginger
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 Shell Ginger 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 Shell Ginger have Rash respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Taro has no showy fruits and Shell Ginger has no showy fruits. Also Taro is not flowering and Shell Ginger is not flowering . You can compare Taro and Shell Ginger facts and facts of other plants too.