OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Alismatales

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Colocasia esculenta   FAMILY Araceae   Go to FSUS key


SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Colocasia esculenta   FAMILY Araceae

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Colocasia esculenta var. aquatilis

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)

Colocasia esculenta var. nymphiifolia

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America

Colocasia esculenta

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)

Colocasia antiquorum

 

COMMON NAME:
Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen


         To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.

image of Colocasia esculenta, Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen

John Ruter, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_1582898

Month Unknown        

Particularly a problem along waterways, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).

image of Colocasia esculenta, Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen

Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org    bug_5307014

Month Unknown        

image of Colocasia esculenta, Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_5344097

Month Unknown        

Leaves are held on 3' long petioles that attach in the center of the leaf, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE Arrowhead, Arum, Elephant's Ear and Pickerelweed

image of Colocasia esculenta, Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_5344098

Month Unknown        

Leaves shaped like an elephant's ear or a fat arrowhead, 2-3' long, per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).


click here to see other plants that look similar to this COMPARE Arrowhead, Arum, Elephant's Ear and Pickerelweed

image of Colocasia esculenta, Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen

David J. Moorhead, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org    bug_5345005

Month Unknown        

image of Colocasia esculenta, Elephant's-ear, Taro, Dasheen

Victor Ramey, University of Florida, Bugwood.org    bug_5349037

Month Unknown        

Tiny flowers on a fleshy stalk (spadix) covered by a yellow hood (spathe), per Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007).

 

WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Colocasia esculenta   FAMILY Araceae

SYNONYMOUS WITH PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Colocasia esculenta   FAMILY Araceae

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Colocasia esculenta var. aquatilis

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Colocasia esculenta var. esculenta

INCLUDING Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Colocasia esculenta var. nymphiifolia

SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Colocasia esculenta

INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Colocasia antiquorum

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

354

Marginal emergent aquatic (rooted); Forb
Perennial

Habitat: Ditches, shores, bottomland hardwood forests, per Weakley's Flora

Non-native: Tropics

Common in GA Coastal Plain, uncommon in Carolina Coastal Plain (rare in Piedmont)

map
Click here to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.

Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)


INVASIVE

This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:

 

LEAVES:

FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Green/ Yellow/ Pale orange
Unisexual
3-6 stamens in staminate flowers

Inflorescence a spadix

FRUIT:
Summer/Fall?

 

TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!



 


Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME: