Taro
Colocasia esculenta
Also called Elephant ear, Dasheen and Eddoe
Houseplant · AroidsIT WILL SIT IN WATER, which almost nothing else here will — a pot standing in a saucer that never dries is right for this plant. The corm is a staple food COOKED and poisonous raw.
Care at a glance
- Ease
- Medium
- Water
- Every 3 daysWater the ground — water at the base, in the morning, not over the leaves.
- Light
- Bright indirect to full sun
- Feed
- Every 21 days
- Humidity
- High
- Hardiness
- Indoors, or out for the summer RHS H1C, to 5°C
- Size
- 1.2 m tall · 1.2 m across
- Lifecycle
- Perennial
- Origin
- South-East Asia
Is it safe for pets and people?
PetsToxic to pets
Affects dogs, cats, horses.
PeopleHarmful if eaten, and irritates skin
All parts — the sap carries needle-sharp calcium oxalate crystals.
HandlingTake care handling it
RHS category C — harmful if eaten, and a skin and eye irritant.
Checked against ASPCA and RHS on 2026-08-04.
A guide, not veterinary or medical advice. If a pet or a person has eaten a plant and you are worried, call your vet or doctor now — don’t wait for signs to appear. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.