Elephant's ear
Also called Taro, Dasheen, Coco yam.
| Light | part shade |
|---|---|
| Water | Every 2 days in the growing season, every 30 in winter |
| Humidity | high |
| Difficulty | moderate |
| Height | Up to 150 cm (59 in) tall |
| Pets | Cats toxic, dogs toxic |
Source: ASPCA Animal Poison Control, toxic and non-toxic plants, Malanga (Colocasia esculenta) entry.
Toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. The ASPCA lists Colocasia esculenta, under the name malanga, as toxic to cats and dogs. It contains insoluble calcium oxalates, which is also why taro must be cooked before it is eaten. Keep it where an animal that eats houseplants cannot reach it, and speak to a vet if one does. In South Africa telephone the Poison Information Helpline on 0861 555 777; in the US, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center on (888) 426-4435.
The leaves are the largest of anything in this journal, on stalks that hold them out like drooping shields, and the plant is grown across the tropics as taro for the starchy corm rather than for the look of it. Both uses need the same conditions: wet feet and heavy feeding. It grows in marshes, so unlike almost everything else here it cannot really be overwatered while it is in growth, and a pot standing in a saucer of water all summer suits it. In a cold climate it dies down in autumn and the tuber is lifted and kept dry and frost free until spring. Every part of it is loaded with calcium oxalate, which is why taro has to be cooked before it can be eaten, and it is not a plant for a house with a cat that chews.
Ailments observed
| Brown crisp edges on the leaves | Dry compost or dry air, both of which a marsh plant resents immediately. Water far more than feels reasonable and stand the pot in a saucer through the summer. It is the rare houseplant that cannot be overwatered in growth. |
|---|---|
| Yellow leaves at the bottom of the plant | Autumn, which is normal, or a shortage of feed in midsummer. If the days are shortening, let it die down. Otherwise feed it fortnightly, because it is a very hungry plant. |
Filed underPlants for humid air, Statement plants
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