Alocasia macrorrhizos
Giant taro
Family AraceaeAlso called Giant alocasia, ʻApe, Cunjevoi
About
Alocasia macrorrhizos, the giant taro, is a large aroid from Maritime Southeast Asia and New Guinea, cultivated across the tropics for its starchy stems.
Care at a glance
- Pet safety
- Toxic to cats, dogs and horses: calcium oxalate crystals irritate the mouth and gut. General guidance for the genus
- People
- Sap and raw tissue contain calcium oxalate raphides that irritate skin and mouth; must be thoroughly cooked before eating.
- Light
- Dappled sun or partial shade (2–6 hours of direct sun). General guidance for the genus
- Water
- Water regularly but avoid waterlogging; overwatering leads to root rot and yellowing leaves. General guidance for the genus
- Temperature
- Grows best with daytime temperatures of about 20–25 °C (68–77 °F). General guidance for the genus
- Soil
- Moist, well-drained, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil. General guidance for the genus
- Propagation
- Division of offsets. General guidance for the genus
- Hardiness
- USDA zones 10a–12b. General guidance for the genus
“General guidance for the genus” marks advice sourced for the genus as a whole rather than this species.
Field notes
Distribution & habitat
Native from Borneo east to the Solomon Islands, including Sulawesi, the Philippines, Maluku, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and Queensland.
Cultivation notes
The starchy rhizome and stem are harvested for food, and leaves and leaf stalks are also eaten, but all must be cooked thoroughly to break down irritant raphides. Common in Polynesian markets.
History & etymology
First domesticated in the Philippines and carried by Austronesian voyagers into Oceania, where it became a staple of Pacific Islanders.
Habitat
- Altitude
- Not recorded
- Altitude class
- —
- Native to
- Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Australia
Cultivation
- Difficulty
- Not recorded
- Temperature
- Grows best with daytime temperatures of about 20–25 °C (68–77 °F).
Text adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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