A group of tropical Asian aroids with enormous arrow-shaped leaves, grown ornamentally for bold tropical effect and edible as taro in many cuisines.
Description
Elephant ears grow huge heart- or arrow-shaped leaves on tall fleshy stalks rising from underground corms. Modern cultivars range from black-purple to lime green or splashed white.
Cultivation
They thrive in warm wet conditions and rich soil. In cool climates corms are dug up before frost and stored dry for winter, then replanted in spring.
Uses
The corms, called taro, are a staple starch across the Pacific and parts of Africa. Raw leaves and corms contain irritating crystals and must be cooked before eating.
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