Colocasia

Elephant Ear

Regno	Plantae
Sottoregno	Tracheobionta
Superdivisione	Spermatophyta
Divisione	Magnoliophyta
Classe	Liliopsida
Ordine	Alismatales
Famiglia	Araceae
Sottofamiglia	Aroideae
Genere	Colocasia

Luce

Medium high

Acqua

Medium high

Specie

Colocasia, commonly known as Elephant Ears or Taro, is a dramatic genus of tropical aroids renowned for their massive, heart-shaped leaves. Colocasia esculenta is the primary cultivated species, prized for its bold architectural foliage and edible tubers. These plants create instant tropical impact as houseplants and garden specimens.

Habitat naturale

Colocasia esculenta originates from Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, thriving in wet tropical environments. It's commonly found in marshy areas, along riverbanks, and in flooded rice paddies where it tolerates standing water.

Storia e cultura

Taro has been cultivated for thousands of years as a staple food crop throughout Asia, Polynesia, and Africa. The tubers are a dietary mainstay in many cultures, often boiled, baked, or fermented into poi. Leaves are used as wrappers for steaming food.

Utilizzi

Modern cultivation focuses on ornamental varieties with dramatic foliage colors and patterns. Colocasias are prized for container gardens, water features, and as dramatic indoor statement plants creating instant jungle effects.

Conservazione

Widely cultivated globally; wild populations stable. Some ornamental cultivars are patented and propagated vegetatively through tubers.

Specie e varietà (1)

Colocasia esculenta

5 cultivar

Guida alla cura

Luce

Colocasia (Taro, Elephant Ear) prefers bright, indirect light to partial shade. In its natural wetland habitat it receives filtered light through a forest canopy. Direct intense sun scorches the large leaves. Outdoors in mild climates it tolerates more sun with adequate moisture.

Acqua

Colocasia is one of the thirstiest houseplants available — it naturally grows in marshes, stream banks and even shallow water. Keep the soil consistently moist to wet. Some varieties can grow with their roots submerged in water (aquatic cultivation). Never allow to dry out — wilting causes irreversible damage to the large leaves. In winter (dormancy), reduce watering significantly.

Substrato

Rich, fertile, moisture-retentive mix: 60% good potting compost, 20% coco coir, 20% perlite. Can also be grown in aquatic/marginal plant substrate for semi-aquatic cultivation.

Temperatura e umidità

Optimal 18–27 °C. Very cold-sensitive — protect from frost. In temperate climates, the corm goes dormant in autumn (leaves die back) and can be stored dry and frost-free until spring, or treated as an annual. High humidity promotes the largest leaf development.

Concimazione

Feed every 1–2 weeks during the growing season with a balanced, high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer. Colocasia is a vigorous grower and heavy feeder. Reduce in autumn as growth slows.

Potatura

Remove old or damaged leaves at the base. Colocasia grows from a corm (a swollen underground stem) and produces offsets freely — these can be separated in spring for propagation. The corms are edible when cooked (raw colocasia contains calcium oxalate and is toxic), but all above-ground parts are irritating if ingested raw.

Propagazione

Divisione

Primary method using offsets from mature corms. Best done in spring.

Dig up mature plant or remove from container in spring.

Gently separate small cormels (baby tubers) from main corm.

Plant each cormel 2-3 inches deep in moist soil or water.

Maintain high humidity and warmth until established.

Domande frequenti

Can Colocasia grow in water?

Yes — many Colocasia varieties thrive as aquatic or marginal plants. Plant in a basket of aquatic compost and submerge in a pond or decorative container of water, keeping the water level just at soil surface or covering the corm by a few centimetres. Change or refresh water regularly.

My Colocasia leaves are yellowing and the plant looks exhausted — why?

Usually insufficient water or nutrients. Colocasia is a very thirsty, hungry plant. Ensure the soil is constantly moist and feed weekly with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer during the growing season. Also check for spider mites on the underside of leaves in warm, dry conditions.

What do I do with Colocasia in winter?

In zones below 8, bring the corm indoors before frost. Cut back dead foliage, remove the corm from the soil, and store dry in a paper bag in a cool, frost-free location (7–10 °C) until spring. In warmer climates, it may remain in the ground with a thick mulch for protection.

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