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Plant Profile

Alocasia macrorriza (Elephant’s Ear, giant tarro)

Alocasia is a genus of about 70 huge-leaved species from Asia. Elephant ear is a perennial evergreens with large rhizomes (underground lateral stems) The leaves are arrow with large, prominent, variously colored veins often decorate the leaves. The leaves grow directly from the underground rhizome as a result the plant does not have any stems. As it belong to the Arum family it has a spandex (floral column) surrender by a green petal like leaf the spathe. Red to orange berry-like fruit follows the flowers. Alocasia imparts a tropical feeling where ever planted. It prefers locations with part shade to full shade and organic, well drained soil. The plants will tolerate moist to very wet conditions. They are frost and wind sensitive. The plants spread and can form dense clumps which should be thinned regularly. Some species are considered invasive in various areas. The plant is highly poisonous if eaten. It contains calcium oxalate crystals which give skin irritation, swollen lip and tongue if eaten.

  • Landscape Information
  • Botanical Description
  • Horticulture Management
  • By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • By Jerzy Opioła (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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  • Pronunciation: al-lo-KAY-zee-uh mak-roh-RY-zah

  • Plant type: Shrub

  • Origin: South-East Asia

  • Heat Zones: 9 to 12

    Hardiness Zones: 10 to 13

  • Uses: Mass Planting, Indoor, Container, Ground cover

  • Size/Shape

    Growth Rate: Fast

    Tree Shape: Upright

    Canopy Symmetry: Symmetrical

    Canopy Density: Open

    Canopy Texture: Coarse

    Height at Maturity: 1 to 1.5 m, 1.5 to 3 m

    Spread at Maturity: 1 to 1.5 meters

    Time to Ultimate Height: 2 to 5 Years

  • By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • By Jerzy Opioła (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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  • Foliage

    Leaf Arrangement : Spiral

    Leaf Venation: Brachidodrome

    Leaf Persistance: Evergreen

    Leaf Type: Simple

    Leaf Blade: 30 - 50

    Leaf Shape: Sagittate - Arrow

    Leaf Margins: Undulate, Lobate

    Leaf Texture: Leathery, Glossy

    Leaf Scent: No Fragance

    Color(growing season): Variegated

  • Flower

    Flower Showiness: Yes

    Flower Size Range: 3 - 7

    Flower Type: Spadix

    Flower Sexuality: Monoecious (Bisexual)

    Flower Scent: No Fragance

    Flower Color: Green, White

  • Trunk

  • Fruit

    Fruit Type: Berry

    Fruit Showiness: Yes

    Fruit Size Range: 0 - 1.5, 1.5 - 3

    Fruit Color: Red

  • By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • By Jerzy Opioła (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
  • I, KENPEI [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC BY-SA 2.5-2.0-1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
By H. Zell (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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  • Tolerance

    Frost Tolerant: No

    Heat Tolerance: No

    Drought Tolerance: No

    Salt Tolerance: Poor

  • Requirements

    Soil Requirements: Clay, Loam, Sand

    Soil Ph Requirements: Acidic

    Water Requirements: High, Moderate

    Light Requirements: Full, Shade

  • Management

    Toxicity: Yes

    Invasive Potential: No

    Susceptibility to Pests and Diseases: No

    Fruit/ Leaves/ Flowers litter: No

    Surface Rooting: No

    Life Span: Less than 25

    Plant Propagation: Division

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