Full Specimen Plate
Colocasia esculenta
Taro / Elephant Ear
Quick Facts
Aroid Atlas Price Guide
Community estimate — limited market data
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About
Colocasia esculenta, Taro, is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world, grown for its starchy corm as a staple food crop across the tropics for thousands of years. As an ornamental it is prized for its immense, heart-shaped, softly matte leaves on tall upright petioles, forming a dramatic architectural clump in the garden or as a large houseplant. The plain species is solid green; named colour selections bred from it — most famously the near-black 'Black Magic' — have made Colocasia a popular subject for dramatic foliage colour breeding, distinct from the closely related but visually different Alocasia genus.
Native Range
India
Collector Popularity Review
Aroid Atlas Collector Review: Colocasia esculenta (Taro / Elephant Ear) is ranked as Common rarity on the market. Rating is calculated based on overall cultivation difficulty, aesthetic appeal, and search popularity among active collectors.
Market Analysis
Auction History & Retail Data
Historical eBay auction metrics and live retailer listings updated weekly.
No eBay auction history available yet. Data is collected automatically as sales appear on eBay UK.
Before You Buy
Species-specific things to check when evaluating a listing
- The plain species is inexpensive and widely available as corms or potted plants each spring
- For 'Black Magic' or other named colour selections, confirm the leaf colour in photos matches the named form
- Check corms are firm, not soft or mouldy, if buying bare-root
- All parts contain calcium oxalate crystals and are toxic if ingested raw — keep away from pets and children
Propagation Guide
Growing More Plants
1-3 months
Cultivar character is preserved through vegetative cuttings
Produces offset cormlets readily, which separate easily from the parent corm. One of the easiest aroids to divide.
Care Guide
Growing Conditions
Rich, moisture-retentive mix: 50% potting compost, 30% loam, 20% perlite. Tolerates boggy conditions better than most aroids.
Keep consistently moist — this species tolerates and often prefers wetter soil than typical houseplants, even standing water at the base outdoors.
50-70%, tolerates average household humidity well outdoors or in bright rooms.
Balanced liquid fertiliser at full strength every 2-3 weeks during the growing season — a hungry, fast-growing plant.
Annually while actively growing, given its rapid growth and corm expansion.
Common Problems
Yellowing lower leaves
Natural leaf turnover as the plant grows
Remove spent leaves; only investigate if multiple leaves yellow at once
Spider mites
Dry indoor air
Increase humidity and treat with insecticidal soap
