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Alocasia macrorrhizos (L.) G.Don

Family Name:	Araceae
Common Name:	Giant Taro, Greater Alocasia, Birah Negeri, Elephant's Ear

Giant Taro is used in landscaping for its large, heart-shaped leaves which resemble elephant ears.

Full Sun

Semi Shade

Lots of Water

Fruit or Vegetable

Ornamental Leaves

Herbaceous Plant

Plant Division	Angiosperms (Flowering Seed Plants) (Monocotyledon)
Plant Growth Form	Herbaceous Plant
Lifespan (in Singapore)	Perennial

Mode of Nutrition	Autotrophic
Plant Shape	Open
Maximum Height	3.7 m to 4.6 m
Maximum Plant Spread / Crown Width	1.8 m to 2.4 m

Native Distribution	Central Malesia to Queensland
Native Habitat	Terrestrial (Agricultural Land, Secondary Rainforest, Riverine, Disturbed Area / Open Ground)
Preferred Climate Zone	Tropical, Sub-Tropical / Monsoonal

Local Conservation Status

Non-native (Spontaneous (Naturalised))

Growth Form	Perennial herb up to 2-4 m tall (but sometimes reaching 5 m).
Foliage	Arranged in rosettes, ascending; leaf blades are flattened, pointing upwards, measures 25 - 50 cm by 20 - 35 cm, green in colour, slightly glossy, arrow-shaped, apex acute, base hastate, margin wavy, petiole measuring 60 - 100 cm long.
Stems	Acaulescent, has a short corm, produces sap and has an elongated caudex as it grows.

Flowers	Inflorescences, enfolded by bracts; peduncles are 20 - 45 cm long, spathe white - yellowish green with 15 - 35 cm long, lower part folds into a green tube; spadix 11 - 32 cm long, pistil 3 -4 cm long and 1.5 cm thick.
Fruit	Fleshy berry, globose or ovoid in shape, turns red when matures.
Cultivation	This species grows best in bright light with light shade and moist, but well-drained loamy soil. However, it can tolerate shade to full sun and sandy to clayey soils.
Ethnobotanical Uses	Food (Fruit & Vegetable): All parts of the plant contain toxic calcium oxalate. In India, Bangladesh, Malaysia and other parts of southeastern Asia, the corm (underground storage organ) and stem are carefully cooked in multiple rounds to thoroughly breakdown the oxalates before eating it as a vegetable.

Desirable Plant Features	Ornamental Foliage
Landscape Uses	Parks & Gardens, Pond / Lake / River
Thematic Landscaping	Economic Garden

Usage Hazard - Cons	Toxic Upon Ingestion, Irritant - Contact Allergy
Usage Hazard - Cons Remarks	Requires prolonged preparation and boiling to breakdown toxic calcium oxalate crystals which occur throughout the plant. The crystals may also irritate the skin upon contact.

Pollination Method(s)	Biotic (Fauna) (Insects (Ant, Beetle, Fly, Thrip, Wasp))

Rootzone Tolerance	Moist Soils, Well-Drained Soils
Potential Problems	In wet, poorly drained soil, it is prone to root rot.
Propagation Method	Seed, Storage Organ (Corm, Tuberous Stem), Sucker

Foliar Modification	Storage Organ
Foliar Type	Simple / Unifoliate
Foliar Arrangement Along Stem	Rosulate / Rosette
Foliar Attachment to Stem	Petiolate
Foliar Shape(s)	Non-Palm Foliage (Sagittate)
Foliar Margin	Entire - Wavy / Undulate
Foliar Apex - Tip	Acute
Foliar Base	Hastate
Leaf Area Index (LAI) for Green Plot Ratio	3.5 (Shrub & Groundcover - Monocot)

Mature Fruit Colour(s)	Red
Mature Seed Colour(s)	Brown

Images

Master ID	340
Species ID	1636
Flora Disclaimer	The information in this website has been compiled from reliable sources, such as reference works on medicinal plants. It is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment and NParks does not purport to provide any medical advice. Readers should always consult his/her physician before using or consuming a plant for medicinal purposes.