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Taro root

Colocasia esculenta

Description:

Taro is a common name for the edible corms and tubers sold of several plants in the Araceae family, otherwise known as "Elephant Ear" plants. Taro is native to South India and Southeast Asia. It is a perennial, tropical plant primarily grown as a root vegetable for its edible starchy corm, and as a leaf vegetable. It is a food staple in African, Oceanic and South Indian cultures and is believed to have been one of the earliest cultivated plants.

Habitat:

Garden, preferably near running water like pond or near stream bank (stagnant water is no good and will rot base). Also can be planted on dry land but watered almost daily and have moist soil. In cold regions root must be dug up and stored in dark room until danger of frost passed then it can be planted outside again.

Notes:

This was grown from Taro root found in Supermarket. Instead of eating it I was happier growing it as an ornamental plant.

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3 Comments

suzmonk
suzmonk 10 years ago

The photos I took were of plants at a public lake, clearly planted on purpose in marshy drainage areas ... so I guess they could be either, although I think I got the basic ID correct. I really want to go pull one up, to see the roots, but I don't think the local park rangers would dig it. Just a guess!

keithp2012
keithp2012 10 years ago

Until last year I had only thought it was an ornamental too, until I found out what Taro was and why the tuber was sold to eat! The ones to eat are from wild plants, not cultivars like sold at garden centers, which are different colors,shapes, and sizes.

suzmonk
suzmonk 10 years ago

Hi, Keithp2012 ... met the taro plant, myself, just last weekend. About blew me away when I made the ID, because I had known it only as an ornamental plant! It was a cool moment of discovery. Really neat that you grew it yourself.

keithp2012
Spotted by
keithp2012

West Babylon, New York, USA

Spotted on Sep 4, 2013
Submitted on Sep 4, 2013

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