Colocasia esculenta

RHS Plant Profile

taro

RHS 2002

Other common names

aivi, Arabian cocoa root, bleeding heart, callaloo, cocoyam, dalo, dasheen, eddo, Egyptian cocoa root, Egyptian ginger, elephant ears, imo, kalo, keladi, talas

Synonyms

Alocasia formosana, Colocasia antiquorum, Colocasia formosana

Conservatory Greenhouse

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A tuberous, evergreen perennial to 1.5m in height, with long-stalked, heart-shaped or arrow-shaped, rich-green leaves with 60cm blades on metre-long stalks. Grown as a staple food in tropical Asia

Position

Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Poorly–drained
pH: Acid or Neutral

Position

Partial shade

Aspect: South–facing or East–facing or North–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H1B

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Araceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Clump forming
Potentially harmful: Humans/Pets: Harmful if eaten; skin/eye irritant. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Colocasia can be deciduous or evergreen, tuberous-rooted perennials with arrow-shaped or rounded leaves, often prominently veined; flowers are minute, on a spadix held within a small white spathe, but are seldom produced in cultivation
Name Status: Correct
Plant Range: Trop. E Asia

How to Grow

Cultivation

Under glass, pot up tubers in peat-free potting compost. Keep in bright, filtered light and high humidity. Water freely and apply a balanced liquid fertiliser monthly when in growth. Keep just moist in winter. Keep tubers dry and frost-free when dormant. Requires 21 degrees minimum to stay evergreen

Propagation

Propagate by division in winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Patio and container plants
Architectural

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to glasshouse red spider mite, aphids and glasshouse whitefly

Diseases

Generally disease-free