Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Herbs
Origin
Southeastern Asia
China, Japan, Korea
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
-
Number of Varieties
2005
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
gardens, Grassland, Homesteads, Open areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-115-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
9-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Light Yellow, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green, Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Round
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Spring, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Divison, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Keep ground moist, Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Over-head watering, Requires watering in 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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
-
Remove deadheads, Requires very little pruning, Shape and thin as needed
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Wet Site
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
-
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
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
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
PETASITES japonicus 'Variegatus'
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Giant Butterbur, Japanese Butterbur, Variegated Butterbur
In Hindi
अरवी
variegated butterbur
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
bunte Pestwurz
In French
Colocasia
pétasite panachée
In Spanish
Colocasia
butterbur abigarrado
In Greek
Colocasia
διαφοροποιημένα butterbur
In Portuguese
Colocasia
butterbur variegada
In Polish
Kolokazja
barwny Lepiężnik
In Latin
Colocasia
varius butterbur
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Liliopsida
-
Order
Arales
Asterales
Family
Araceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Alocasia
Petasites
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Senecioneae
Subfamily
Aroideae
-
Number of Species
1017
1
27800
👆🏻