Doctor of Agricultural Sciences, Professor of the department. Vegetable Growing RGAU-Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K.A. Timiryazeva
Behind this mysterious name are hidden not at all fortune-telling cards for predicting the future, which have now become fashionable. It is just a plant whose tubers serve as food for many millions of people in Southeast Asia and Southwest Africa. Taro occupies more than 1 million hectares and 80% is concentrated in Africa. Nigeria produces about 4 million tons, Ghana - 1.8 million tons, China - 1.6 million tons, Cameroon - about 1 million tons. But under this name there are plants hidden not only of different species, but also of different genera belonging to the Araceae family.
Edible colocasia plant ( Colocasia esculenta syn. Colocasiaantiquorum L.) resembles a very large calla lily. It has been grown in Southeast Asia for more than 2,000 years, and according to some sources, in India for more than 5,000 years. The homeland of the plant is Malaysia and Southern China. The plant is characterized by the fact that in nature it produces very few seeds. Therefore, the main method of reproduction both in nature and on plantations is vegetative, by tubers. Interestingly, there are plants with a very diverse set of chromosomes 26, 28, 30, 36, 38, 42, 44, 46, 48, 52, 58, 84 or even 116 (most often 28 and 42). This probably explains the wide variety of plants in terms of moisture requirements, the length of the period before harvest, and, in part, the fact that plants practically do not produce seeds.
Another kind - Xanthosoma - comes from South America. Long before Columbus's expeditions, the Indians grew Xanthosomasagittifolium Schott. Its greatest diversity is found in the Antilles, where it grows mainly in open and wet areas.
Nutritional value of colocasia
Considering that colocasia is more common and well-known, we will mostly talk about it. Taro roots contain 18-20% starch (sometimes up to 30%), 0.8% protein (according to other sources, dried underground parts contain up to 7% protein) and 0.8% ash substances. Tubers are used for food only after boiling or roasting. In their raw form, they strongly irritate the mucous membranes and are practically inedible. In addition, tubers and rhizomes contain calcium oxalate crystals, which are destroyed by heat treatment. The tubers contain a number of important vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin), minerals, lipids, unsaturated fatty acids and anthocyanins. The starch contained in taro is quite specific - fine-grained, of high quality and very well digestible. Colocasia has excellent nutritional value and is comparable to potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and rice. At the same time, it is easily digestible and hypoallergenic. Most often, the tubers are consumed boiled, seasoned with salt and black pepper. They taste like potatoes, only blander, easily breaking down into soft fibers.
Dried taro tubers are used to make flour, and when raw they are suitable for producing alcohol.
How to grow taro
The culture is similar in different countries. Taro is usually cultivated in Asia in crop rotations with rice, legumes, and banana. It is not recommended to grow this crop in one place for a long time due to nematode damage. However, the duration of cultivation varies greatly - from 3 to 15 months, depending on the variety and type. In Sri Lanka, ultra-early ripening varieties are used, harvesting after 4 months; in Hawaii, the period before harvesting is 9-14 months without flooding and 12-15 months with flooding. In this way, its cultivation is somewhat reminiscent of rice.
Typically, the procurement of planting material is combined with digging up the crop. So-called tubers are used as planting material for colocasia, selecting medium-sized ones - weighing about 60 g. After seedlings appear on the field, the area is flooded to 2 cm and this layer of water is maintained for the first three months of the growing season. When the thickening of the underground organs begins, the water level is increased to 4 cm. And the plants are left without water for the last two months before harvesting. When flooded, colocasia produces many tubers (up to 22) and, accordingly, the yield greatly increases. But on average, the growing period is from 6 to 8 months.
The moment of harvesting is determined by the wilting and yellowing of the leaves. Before harvesting, 1-2 green leaves usually remain on the plant. The yield is relatively low, cannot be compared with potatoes, and ranges from 8 tons in Ghana to 12-15 tons in Japan.
Varieties can be divided into 2 groups - for irrigated and rainfed (that is, without watering) crops. Varieties for irrigated agriculture are characterized by very large and fleshy leaves, very high responsiveness to fertilizers and higher productivity. They are not watered during wet seasons, but irrigation is required during dry seasons.
Medicinal properties
Colocasia herb has been used since ancient times for diseases such as asthma, arthritis, diarrhea, internal bleeding, neurological disorders, and skin diseases. The juice of its tubers is widely used to treat body aches and baldness. A wide range of chemical compounds, including flavonoids, beta-sitosterol and steroids, have been isolated from the tubers and aerial parts of this species. Modern research pays special attention to analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and lipid-lowering effects.
Indian scientists note that colocasia is a source of immunostimulating proteins, new ingredients as additives for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Colocasia proteins stimulated the production of globulins responsible for immunity. Products from the tubers of this plant are proposed as prebiotics for a healthy diet for a variety of diseases, especially allergies.
Most often, colocasia tubers are consumed boiled and lightly seasoned with black pepper. They taste like potatoes, starchy but blander. Easily disintegrates into soft fibers.
Colocasia is also used as an ornamental plant to decorate reservoirs throughout the tropical zone of the globe, and the above-ground part, containing up to 20% protein per dry matter, is a good feed for livestock.
Photo: Rita Brilliantova, Lyudmila Roshchina
Tarot is an ancient culture of India and Egypt. It has been bred for over 2000 years. The leaves are large and look very attractive. Tubers can be used for food, boiled or fried.
Taro, or Colocasia edible, or Colocasia ancient, or Dasheen, or Elephant's ear (lat. Colocásia esculénta) is a perennial plant, a species of the genus Colocasia (Colocasia) of the Araceae family.
Perennial herbaceous plant with beautiful leaves. Tarot will add a touch of the tropics to the interior of your home. Large Colocasia plants are very graceful and look good both independently and in compositions with small plants. If you are looking for a plant to fill a large area, Taro is the perfect solution!
Root system fibrous, forms a large underground tuber with a diameter of 6-8 cm and weighing up to 4 kg, 
with many buds, some of which begin to grow and form secondary, smaller tubers.
Leaves large, heart-shaped, up to 1 m long and up to 50 cm wide, form a basal rosette, on long petioles grooved at the base up to 2 meters long.
flower shoot develops from the apical bud of the tuber.
Inflorescence- an ear with a greenish-yellow veil.
From Pliny's manuscripts it is known that already in his time the Egyptians used taro for food. Later it appeared in tropical West Africa, from where African slaves took it to the West Indies, and then taro penetrated the American continent. Currently, it is bred in the tropical and subtropical zones. This plant is not found in the wild.
Taro tubers contain 18-20% fine-grained starch, 0.5% sugar and more than 3% protein. In wild species and some cultivated tubers and leaves, they contain raphides of calcium oxalate, which cause a burning sensation in the mouth and disintegrate when cooked.
Use in cooking:
Taro tubers are practically inedible when raw because they cause a strong burning sensation in the mouth. It is usually used boiled and fried; various pastries are also made from taro. Young leaves and young bleached shoots are boiled and used as food, like asparagus.
The tubers are also used to make flour and alcohol and as pet food.
In Polynesia and Africa, the tubers are used to make “nu” dough using fermentation.
The tubers are used for medicinal purposes.
Care:
I reproduce t taro with small secondary tubers weighing 40-50 g.
Watering: The plant is moisture-loving, abundant watering, many varieties can withstand prolonged flooding. A flowerpot of Colocasia can be placed in a pan of water or a shallow pond, so that the water reaches 1/3 or 1/2 of the flowerpot.
Spraying: Regularly
The soil: Grows well in fertile soil with good drainage
Lighting: Shade, partial shade or sun.
Landing: Plant tubers with the blunt end down, to a depth of 5 cm. Water regularly.
Wintering: In winter, plants are preserved much better at a temperature of 16-18°. The tubers are stored for the winter at 10-12° until the beginning of March, and then they begin to be planted in the soil of the greenhouse or in pots.
The growing season depends on the variety and is 8-15 months. The start date for harvesting is determined by the yellowing and falling of the leaves; usually by this time one or two leaves remain green.
In tropical conditions, dug tubers can be stored in small heaps under sheds for 1-1.5 months; for longer storage they are placed in special storage facilities.
The content of the article:
Colocasia (Colocasia) is classified by botanists as a genus of perennials, which are distinguished by their herbaceous growth form and are included in the genus Araceae. If you want to meet this exotic plant in its natural environment, you should go to the islands of New Guinea or the Philippines, and it also grows in the Himalayas and Burma. In general, in the territory of southeast Asia, colocasia is a fairly popular plant with a tuberous root, which is why it is actively cultivated in the above-mentioned regions. These flora samples include only 8 varieties in the genus.
Like its “relative” Alocasia, this plant is sometimes called “elephant ears” because of the outlines of the leaves, which resemble the ears of this stately animal found in those lands or Taro.
Representatives of this genus are completely devoid of a stem, and the roots, as already mentioned, have the shape of tubers. The leaf plates are large, their outlines are corymbose-cordate or arrow-shaped, the leaves are crowned with long petioles, the parameters of which can reach a meter in size. The dimensions of the leaf plate are about 80 cm long and up to 70 cm wide. The leaf surface has a smooth texture, the color combines all sorts of shades of green or they are shaded with a bluish color; there are also varieties with a purple tint. Some varieties have a white vein pattern on the surface. The older the specimen becomes, the larger its leaf size.
When flowering, buds appear, which, when opened, are of no interest; from them an inflorescence is assembled in the shape of a cob, colored in a yellowish tone. Ripening fruits have the shape of berries, the surface of which has a red or orange tint. Inside such a berry there are multiple seeds.
The rhizome of colocasia plays an important role in cultivation, as it can be eaten. The root system has sufficient branching into individual tubers. After heat treatment, the local population highly values them in their diet due to their starch content.
General requirements for growing colocasia, care
- Location and level of lighting. The plant loves bright, but diffused light, so the pot with colocasia should be placed on the windows of an eastern or western location. If the Tarot is not at rest during the winter, it is recommended to illuminate it.
- Content temperature Taro should be as close as possible to natural growing conditions. On spring-summer days, heat indicators should not go beyond 23–28 degrees, and with the arrival of autumn they should be gradually reduced to 18 units. But they should not fall below 16, otherwise this will lead to the death of the leaf blades. At rest, the tubers are kept at 10–12 degrees.
- Humidity during cultivation“elephant ears” should be high, since the leaf plates are large and this contributes to increased evaporation of moisture from their surface. Spraying in the spring and summer months will need to be carried out at least once a day, and it is also recommended to wipe the leaves with a soft damp cloth. In winter, it will be necessary to increase the humidity levels by all means, since operating heating devices and central heating radiators greatly dry out the air in the room. Air humidifiers or vessels filled with liquid are placed next to the colocasia pot.
- Watering colocasia. In natural growth conditions, the Taro plant likes to settle on lands near waterways or with a lot of moisture, so when cultivating indoors, you need to make sure that the soil in the pot never dries out. Watering is carried out frequently and abundantly, especially in the spring and summer. The water should be settled and free of lime impurities, at room temperature. If in winter the colocasia is not put into dormancy mode, then moistening is carried out once every 14 days.
- Fertilizers for colocasia, they are introduced from the beginning of spring until the autumn, since its growth rate is high and the green mass occupies a large volume. Fertilizers are applied weekly. Preparations with a high nitrogen content are recommended so that the leaves grow larger and more beautiful.
- Replanting and soil selection for colocasia. If the plant was in a state of winter dormancy, then its tubers should be replanted in the spring. But even for a specimen that grows year-round, it is recommended to periodically change the pot and the soil in it, since the root system can develop all the soil and there will not be enough space for it in the flowerpot. This operation is also carried out on spring days. In this case, the new container is taken larger - 3–5 cm larger in diameter. Drainage material is placed on its bottom, which will ensure that water does not stagnate in the pot. For colocasia, a substrate with sufficient lightness, fertility and a slightly acidic reaction is preferable. You can use ready-made soil mixtures for citrus plants. They also make up the soil themselves from equal parts of peat, turf and humus soil with the addition of leaf soil and river sand.
- Rest period for a plant with elephant ears, it occurs during the winter months, at which time the tubers are removed from the pot and kept dry at a temperature of 15 degrees. But flower growers have noticed that colocasia can grow well without such a rest period.
- Blooms when grown at home, colocasia practically does not have any problems.
How to propagate colocasia yourself?
To get a new elephant ears plant, you can propagate it by dividing the tubers of the mother specimen or by offspring. A positive result will also be observed if thick roots are divided or seeds are sown.
However, it should be remembered that the plant never blooms in indoor culture, and success in such propagation is almost never observed. However, if there is such a desire to propagate colocasia by seeds, then the planting material should be sown in seedling boxes in a peat-sand substrate and moistened well. You will need to cover the container with the crops and keep them in a warm place. It is important to regularly ventilate and moisten the soil. When a pair of true leaves appear on young Taro, these seedlings should be transplanted into separate containers with a substrate that is suitable for adult specimens.
It is easier to propagate by dividing tubers or rhizomes. It is recommended that this operation be timed to coincide with the replanting of the colocasia, so as not to further injure the plant by removing it from the pot. When the bush is removed, a certain number of tubers are separated from the mother specimen and placed in a pot filled with light, moist soil (this can be peat with sand or peat with perlite). It is recommended to cover the planting with glass or polyethylene. After the 10-day period, the shelter is removed when young shoots are already visible.
When dividing a root, use a sharp knife to cut the root system into pieces. Moreover, each of the divisions must contain 1–2 growth points for renewal. It is recommended to sprinkle the cut areas with powdered activated carbon or charcoal. Then the divisions are planted in separate containers filled with peat and sand substrate. After 7–14 days, rooting takes place when caring for the plants.
After winter has passed, the lateral shoots of the mother colocasia can be separated from the main tuber and planted in individual flowerpots with soil selected for them. Then it is recommended to cover the plant with polyethylene until it is completely rooted. Daughter shoots should be carefully separated, trying not to cause them much harm.
It is important to remember that when planting, the colocasia shoot is not buried; it is planted at the same depth as the mother specimen.
Pests and diseases of the colocasia houseplant
The following troubles can be identified when growing elephant ears plants:
- when the level of illumination is too high, yellow spots appear on the leaf plates;
- if there is not enough food and light, the leaves become pale and lose their color;
- the foliage becomes smaller when heat levels are very low or there is insufficient fertilizer in the soil;
- when the temperature drops below 15 degrees, the leaf plates die off;
- when humidity levels are constantly low, the lateral leaves of colocasia begin to dry out and then fall off.
Facts to Note about Colocasia
But not only the tubers of the Taro plant are edible; the Hawaiian dish Laulau is prepared from its leaf blades.
It is important to remember that “elephant ears” pose some danger to small children and pets who suddenly decide to chew the curiously shaped leaves, as they contain toxins.
If we talk about its relative Alocasia, then Colocasia is inferior in size, with the exception of the giant variety, which can exceed human height. Also, the latter plant is much more moisture-loving and in its natural habitat, colocasia grows in close proximity to water and waterways, and when grown indoors, foliage will need to be sprayed more often. Alocasia may not be so sensitive to dry air in residential areas, especially when heating devices are running in winter.
Further, if we draw parallels when comparing alocasia and colocasia, then the former still has a stem reaching a diameter of 6–8 cm. And the leaf plates of alocasia grow vertically upward, occasionally located in a horizontal surface. In colocasia, they still have a more drooping outline and are attached to the petiole in the form of a shield, at a distance of up to 7–12 cm from the base.
The structure of the petiole is also different; in alocasia it has a branching into a central and a pair of lateral veins. There are also differences in the tubers, which are shorter and plumper in colocasia. There are morphological differences in the structure of female flowers, which have different ways of placing the placenta and ovules.
Also, if we talk about ripening fruits, then in colocasia it is a fragrant and aromatic, but inconspicuous-looking multi-seeded berry, while in alocasia its color is orange-red and there are only a few seeds in the fruit.
Types of colocasia
Edible colocasia (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) may also be mentioned in the literature under the names Colocasia antiquorum var. esculenta Schott or Caladium esculentum hort. It is often called Colocosia ancient.
Plants that have a tuber and sometimes a very small stem. The outlines of the leaf blades are corymbose-cordate or broadly ovate. The length reaches 70 cm with a width of up to half a meter. The edge is slightly wavy, the surface is leathery, the color is light greenish. The length of the petiole is 1 meter. A rosette is collected from the leaves. When flowering, an inflorescence spadix is formed, which consists of yellowish flowers. Ripening berries-fruits of a reddish color.
The plant chooses moist mountainous slopes for its growth, often “climbing” to a height of up to 800 meters above sea level. This variety is not uncommon in the lands of tropical Asia, and it has also not ignored the culture of Indonesia, all the islands of Polynesia and those parts of the African continent where there is a tropical climate, as well as a number of other countries with similar climatic conditions. This is all because the tubers of edible colocasia are very rich in starch and the plant is a valuable food crop. The weight of the tuber can reach 4 kilograms. On the islands where this specimen of flora is used for food, it is called “Taro”. It is often customary to grow representatives of aroids in greenhouses with high humidity and heat.
Colocasia esculenta euchlora can bear synonymous names Colocasia esculenta var. euchlora (Colocasia Koch a. H. Selo) A. F. Hill or Colocasia antiquorum var. euchlora (Colocasia Koch a. H. Selo) Schott. The plant is distinguished by dark green leaf blades and a purple border. The petiole is also purple in color. Its native habitat is in India.
Colocasia Fontanesia is often referred to as Colocasia antiquorum var. fontanesia (Schott,) A. F. Hill, Colocasia antiquorum var. fontanesii Schott or Colocasia violacea hort. ex Hook. f. This variety has corymbose-shaped leaves, reaching 30–40 cm in length, while the width varies in the range of 20–30 cm. Their color is dark emerald. The leaves are attached to a long thin petiole with a purple or reddish-lilac tint. However, this color disappears in the lower part of the petiole. Its parameters reach 90 cm in length. This variety practically does not form tubers.
The native growing areas are in India and Sri Lanka.
Water colocasia (Colocasia esculenta var. aquatilis (Hassk.) Mansf.). This variety has dense foliage. With the help of leaf plates, stolons are formed, reaching a length of 1.5 m with a diameter varying in the range of 0.7–1 m, with a reddish tint. The plant is mainly planted near bodies of water and in low areas of the island lands of Java.
Colocasia fallax Schott. The roots have tuberous outlines. The platinum leaves have a corymbose shape, their width can vary between 20-30 cm. The upper side is painted green, along the midrib there is a grayish-lilac shade with a metallic sheen. The length of the petiole often reaches half a meter.
This species is found on the wet mountainous slopes of the Himalayas, where a tropical climate prevails.
Giant colocasia (Colocasia giganrea (Blume) Hook. f.) may be referred to as Colocasia indica of auth. non (Lour.) Kunth, as well as Aljcasia gigantean hort.
This variety has the largest leaf blades, which can reach 80 cm in length and about 70 cm in width. The surface of the leaves is thick, painted in a dark green color, on which pronounced veins are clearly visible. The foliage shape is oval-crescent-shaped. The length of the petiole does not exceed 1 m. When flowering, the resulting inflorescence-cob can reach 20 cm in length. The roots are quite thick.
It is often found on the islands of Java and the Malay Peninsula. For more information on growing colocasia, see below:
Tuberous rhizomes, are used for food. Tubers of certain types are found in flower shops and grocery stores and are considered dietary product, and for the presence of starch are compared with potatoes.
In a plant absent stem, and large leaves, growing up to almost half a meter, are located on long petioles. Due to their special shape and size, an unofficial nickname appeared: "elephant ears". The leaf blades of the herbaceous perennial are heart-shaped or thyroid-shaped.
The fruit is a small orange or red berry with several seeds.
Colocasia flowers are inconspicuous and small.
Rarely appear indoors.
home pride- bright, green leaves interspersed with a different color, with an original wavy edge.
Due to them, the tropical guest looks advantageous both alone and in composition with other plants.
Types of herbaceous perennials and photos
The impressive size of the tropical beauty is larger fit for greenhouses, indoor swimming pools, garden plots. However, some species occur as indoor plants.
Gigantic
The size corresponds to the name, and in nature the height of the plant reaches up to 3 meters The leaves are thick, oval-crescent-shaped, length reaches 80 cm, width - 70 cm, veins are clearly visible on them. Rhizomes are tuberous. The length of the cob is up to 20 centimeters. We can see what “Giant Colocasia” looks like in the photo below: 
Ancient
Ancient colocasia has several other names - edible taro, Taro, Dashin. This vegetable crop is currently specially cultivated in many regions of Southeast Asia.
Leaves, shoots, and tubers are used for food. Tubers are rich in vitamins and nutrients. They are used to make flour, alcohol, and are used in cooking. Edible varieties vary by the color of the tuber pulp and their weight: some reach up to 4 kilograms. Taro or edible colocasia in the photo below:
Attention!
Colocasia is eaten only after cooking. Any part of the plant is first fried, boiled, or stewed. You can’t eat it raw, as colocosia juice is dangerous.
Water
All types of tropical perennials love moisture; this is especially true for water colocasia. Habitat is near water bodies, in low places. Water colocasia with dense foliage has reddish stolons reaching 1.5 m and about one centimeter in diameter. The photo below shows “Water colocasia”: 
Deceptive
In the wild it grows in the tropics of the Himalayas - in damp areas of mountainous slopes. Shield-shaped leaf blade. The width of the leaves is 20-30 centimeters. The rhizome is a tuber. “Colocasia deceptive” is shown in the photo below: 
Features of care
Colocasia is unassuming. With proper care, the perennial will delight you with its chic appearance all year round. For indoor flowers, a dormant period is not necessary.
The plant is removed from open ground during the cold period. With the arrival of winter, the perennial tubers are dug up and stored at a temperature of about 10-12 ° C until the beginning of March. In the spring, the tubers are planted in pots, and in greenhouses directly into the ground.
Like all aroids, it requires careful handling. To prevent the poisonous juice from causing harm, you need to protect small children, who put everything in their mouths, and domestic cats and dogs, who stick their noses everywhere, away from the plant.
Care should be taken when transplanting.
Attention!
Colocasia is poisonous. The juice causes swelling of the larynx and oral mucosa. Burning and stinging from contact with the skin. Contact with the eyes can result in conjunctivitis, and in more complex cases, changes in the cornea.
IN at home You can grow any type of representative, as long as you have the appropriate space. Even a beginner in floriculture can cope with the unpretentious evergreen perennial if desired.
Humidity and watering
As a tropical resident, the plant prefers warmth, light and humidity.
A lack or excess of moisture will immediately affect the overall appearance. When watering, it is better to maintain a certain balance: moisten more often, but do not flood: the soil should have time to breathe.
Watering rules are simple:
- in spring and summer - frequent watering;
- in winter - moderate;
- the soil must not be allowed to dry out;
- stagnation of water will negatively affect the root system;
- water for irrigation must settle.
The plant reacts sharply to air humidity, so spraying is a mandatory procedure for it.
Watering alone, especially in the warm season, will not be enough.
Additionally, a vessel with water is placed nearby or the pot itself is placed in a tray filled with wet expanded clay.
During the cold period, moistening is carried out using all of the above methods, except for spraying.
Comfortable temperature and lighting
Colocosia loves light, but not direct sunlight. The best exposure is from windows facing west and east. Home crops can also be placed on the south side, provided that shading is provided. Windows facing north, on the contrary, will not provide the necessary lighting, which can be added using additional lighting.
At temperatures below plus 15 °C, the heat-loving tropical plant begins to lose leaves. Therefore, the minimum temperature is considered to be plus +20 °C in summer and plus 15 °C in winter. In addition to cold, colocasia does not tolerate drafts.
Attention! Plant species with monochromatic leaves will tolerate a lack of light well. Motley, diffused light is necessary. In this case, the bright design will not fade, and the sheet will not lose its attractiveness.
Features of care after purchase
No matter how the purchased plant looks, replanting is required in a new container filled with fresh soil.
From the roots necessary remove the old layer of soil and examine the plant carefully.
Rotten parts on the tubers, if any, are cut off and treated with a fungicide and dried.
The damaged area can also be sprinkled with charcoal. After these manipulations, when the plant dries, place it in new soil.
Dried leaves are also removed. The pot with the new plant is placed in a warm and bright place.
Planting, fertilizing, replanting plants
A houseplant can be replanted annually from March to May, an adult plant - every two to three years.
For very large species, the pot is made heavier: stones are placed at the bottom. In this case, the weight of the plant will not overturn the container.
Preserved tubers are planted in open ground in March.
The soil for the plant is prepared nutritiously, a mixture of peat, leaf, turf, humus and sand are added.
Purchased land is suitable for leaf crops. Since colocasia requires abundant watering, the planting container is 1/3 filled with drainage.
Every month, complex fertilizers are applied to the soil if the plant is in open ground. It is useful to water houseplants with additional fertilizer every two weeks.
Types of reproduction
It is necessary to work with the plant carefully Wear gloves and do all trimming with a sharp tool.
Colocasia reproduces in several ways in early spring: tubers, cuttings, and rhizome division. 
Tubers
- transplantation of an adult large plant is combined with the propagation process;
- the tubers are separated and planted in new nutritious soil;
- In order for the plants to grow, they create greenhouse conditions and cover them with film.
Rhizome
- remove soil from rhizomes;
- a sharp tool is used for work;
- a growth bud should remain on each separated part;
- cut off part of the rhizome with a knife, sprinkle with charcoal;
- plant in a pot in a warm place.
The most difficult type of reproduction is seeds. They are planted shallowly in moist soil and sprayed regularly. The required temperature is maintained in the region of +22-24° C. Germination can take from several days to three weeks.
Diseases and other problems
Spider mites, scale insects, and aphids appear on colocasia if not properly cared for and can lead to its death. The mite is revealed by the thinnest web, and small butterflies and aphids can be found when watering and other work with the plant. In this case, the plant immediately processed with special substances.
- Colocasia immediately reacts to lack of moisture, excess lighting, and low temperature.
- When the leaves wither, you need to adjust the watering and change the soil to a more nutritious one.
- The leaves have lost their brightness - you need to pay attention to whether the plant has enough light.
- If the tips of the leaves turn brown, then there is not enough humidity in the room.
With proper care, colocasia will grow actively, please the eye and will not create problems. Beautiful tropical plant Wonderful will fit into the interior of an apartment, a personal plot, and will emphasize the design of a greenhouse or winter garden.
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Colocasia (Taro)- a herbaceous representative of the Araceae family, has not yet become widespread among gardeners. However, she has every chance to gain popularity due to her merits.
One of them is the appearance of the plant - an abundance of wide large leaves growing on long petioles.
They have quite original form in the form of strongly elongated hearts.
The color varies depending on the species. There are pure green leaves with pale veins or even purple leaves.
Stem (trunk) missing, but the leaves along with the petioles can reach a height of about a meter.
Another advantage of colocasia is edible tubers exotic guests. They contain a lot of starch and are used boiled and fried for food.
Types and features
Edible colocasia (ancient) - Colocasiaesculenta.
The leaves are pale green, collected in a basal rosette. They reach 1 m in length and 0.5 m in width. Blooms with yellow spadix, covered with a blanket of the same color. Small red berries then form. The tuber can weigh up to 4 kg and is used for food.
Giant colocasia – C. gigantea. Wide leaf blades have a rounded tip. They are larger in size than other species. The color is green, the light yellow veins are well defined. Tubers of this species are not edible, the cob is inconspicuous. Main value- decorative appearance of leaf blades.
Colocasia fontanesia – C. fontanesia. The leaf blades are dark green in color and have a glossy sheen. Veins to match the color of the foliage. The petiole is reddish-violet, long and thin. The root system is fibrous, practically does not form tubers.
Rules of care
At home, you can grow all 8 species known at this time. The main thing is to find enough space to accommodate it - not less than square meter for one indoor colocasia.
By providing Taro with good care, you can get gorgeous plant, which will delight you for many years.
As a member of the poisonous Araceae family, colocasia represents some danger of poisoning. Toxic leaf blades should not be eaten by pets or small children.
Lighting and temperature
Bright light all day long. Does not like contact with direct rays of the sun - Maybe get burned in the form of brown dried spots. In winter, additional artificial lighting with fluorescent lamps is necessary if it does not go into dormancy.
In summer it grows well in both hot and cool conditions. Optimal– content at 22-26 degrees.
Watering and humidity
In nature, Taro grows on constantly moist lands with high air humidity. Therefore, it is necessary to create conditions close to natural ones. Water frequently and generously using soft water without high lime content.
High humidity ambient air is maintained by regular spraying of the above-ground parts of the plant or placed next to a container filled with wet stones.
Feeding and wintering
A large plant requires a lot of nutrients. Feeding should be regular throughout the entire growing season.
At home fertilize with mineral complexes after 12-14 days, in open ground– in 25-30 days.
Features of colocasia consists of a pronounced period of rest. The leaves die off, and the tubers should be stored in a dry room at a low air temperature of 9-11 degrees.
Transfer
After a period of rest The tubers are planted in a container, the bottom of which is filled with stones not so much for drainage as for counterweight. In this case, a strongly grown plant will not overturn the pot with its weight.
Take a large container for Tarot - at least half a meter in diameter.
Soil is needed fertile and rich, the optimal solution would be to mix leaf and turf soil, humus, peat and sand in equal volumes.
Reproduction
Can be used seed method, tuber division And lateral offspring.
Seed propagation is used when growing colocasia outdoors. They are sown in seedling boxes and watered. The seedlings are transplanted into separate containers after the first true leaves appear.
After wintering, the side tubers are separated from the main tuber and planted immediately in individual pots. Daughter shoots carefully separated from the main plant, trying not to damage them, and placed in a separate pot.
Cannot be buried Colocasia escape!
An example of correct landing you can make a mother plant and plant a young seedling at the same depth. To speed up rooting, the shoot is covered with a polyethylene film.
Pests and possible problems
The most dangerous pests are spider mites and whiteflies.
The plant needs to be sprayed insecticides, if the pest has not completely disappeared, repeat. Actellik, Ethisso, Malathion are used.
Whitefly. Small green with white wings that fly in different directions whenever you touch the plant. As a result, they are classified as pests difficult to destroy.
Processing not only the plant itself is exposed, but also the entire surrounding space - pot, window sill, window glass. The use of Kinmiks, Talstar, Mospilan, Confidor, Fufanon is effective.
Possible problems:
- Leaf blades become covered with yellow spots, which then turn brown. The reason is exposure to direct rays of the sun.
- Side leaves dry out and fall off in constant dry air.
- Young leaves are small and thin– the plant suffers from a lack of nutrients in the soil or exposure to too cold air.
- Leaves turn pale and lose color brightness- a signal of mineral deficiency and insufficient lighting.