Life Span
Annual
Annual, biennial or perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Tender Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Lavatera Trimestris, Lavatera Thuringiaca, Lavatera Arborea
Number of Varieties
20025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Cliffs, Maritime Rocks
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-118-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
10-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm210.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Pink, Violet, Plum
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Green, 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
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Orbicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Water deeply about once a week
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Pinching, Shearing, Thinning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Pests and diseases free
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
allergic reaction, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Prevent Soil Erosion
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Poultice
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used in chopped mixed salad
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
LAVATERA arborea
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Tree Mallow
In Hindi
अरवी
Tree Mallow
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Baum Mallow
In French
Colocasia
Arbre Mallow
In Spanish
Colocasia
árbol de la malva
In Greek
Colocasia
δέντρο Μολόχα
In Portuguese
Colocasia
Mallow
In Polish
Kolokazja
drzewo Mallow
In Latin
Colocasia
ligno malvae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Malvales
Family
Araceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Lavatera
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Malveae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Malvoideae
Number of Species
1030
1
27800
👆🏻