Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Large

Diet

Photosynthetic

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Solitary

Biome

Tropical rainforest

Range

Tropical Asia

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Defense

Toxin

Status

Common

About

A genus of tropical Asian aroids famous for enormous, heart-shaped leaves that can span more than a metre — grown worldwide as dramatic 'elephant ear' ornamentals and, in the case of taro, as a staple root crop. The leaves funnel rain to the plant's base and shed water in glistening beads.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Liliopsida

Order

Alismatales

Family

Araceae

Genus

Colocasia