NancyAnn,

Are you near a Wal-Mart Super Center? (they have the groceries)

They will carry all that stuff. And you can always trade for the seeds/plants.

:)

Our grocery-store-bought Taro rot cost 49 cents and is doing great. The irony is that there were packaged garden Taros in the same store for 5.99 . We couldn't give a hoot about the money saved but do care about the principle.

A fun plant for ponds, kids and just those folks who enjoy novelties.

I planted the Taro. They are huge. The leaves measure 28 inches in length. I wish I could add a photo here.

Do you plant the Taro in sun or shade?

Even tho the Asian markets sell the leaves of taro, I don't think they are eaten. I believe they may just be used to roll food in to be cooked, sort of like banana leaves are sometimes used. Chewing on a taro leaf is sort of like chewing on a piece of glass.

The stems are eaten, they are peeled and boiled like aspargus and eaten like asparagus.

I planted some taro from the grocery store back in late July. They took some weeks to sprout, but all of them sprouted. I put 2 in the ground, and 1 in a pot. The potted taro took longer to sprout and so far has made a smaller plant than the 2 in the ground.

For those of you who live in zone 5b, do they make roots that you have been able to harvest? How long does it take for them to make edible roots? When would you harvest them? When is it optimal to use the stems for eating? Do you leave them in the ground all winter?

Thanks,
GA

Still reading this? Hope so. All of the taro is edible. It must ALL be cooked first. DO NOT EAT ANY PART RAW.

There are many sites regarding Taro, I have put one in the link, but do a google search. they are beautiful, and edible
Lilly

Here is a link that might be useful: Taro Root is Edible

Thank you so much for the info on the Taro, Patience Donkey.
Very useful!great link
God Bless and have a great day.

Has anyone winter stored their taro? I read that one person does and it seems to work for them. Is this a better way than dry?

still reading this?? I bought a small Taro root from an Asian market, had a couple of eye things goin on, so I stuck toothpicks in it and put in a glass of water. WOW!! its goin like mad (pls see my post about Hedychium Ginger and Elephant Ears) can't remember what forum I posted in though lol. I went back yesterday and bought a few more little Taro roots and have them rooting as gifts. Don't know who to give them to though, just thought my lil Alf Taro is sooo cute, I wanted more lol
by the way, all parts of Taro are edible, but must be prepared (cooked) first. There are many many links on Taro, do a google search for more info.
Lilly

I have a Super Walmart in my town, I will have to check it out.
I like others would also like to know what to do with it in the winter.
Any help would be appreciated.

I pot mine and keep it as a houseplant for the winter.

I agree with Gardentoadz in that I have potted some small shoots up for the winter. The larger roots and bulbs, I have put into my cold cellar, after digging them up, hanging them upside down for about a week, cutting off the stalks and leaves to about 1 inch above the root, and also cutting off any fibrous roots. Then I placed them inside a plastic milk carton so that the air can get to them and keep them dry. I shall check them every week or so to be sure there is no rot or soft spots. In about April, I shall repot them and get them rooting for the summer, after all danger of frost is past.

Am I on the right track? This is the first year of doing so.

What stores in Southern Ontario carry the taro root? Our Zehrs super store does not have it.

I got mine at an A&P store in Mississauga last year. I have seen it there many times. You could try using the yellow pages and "let your finger do the walking" by phoning before you drive all over. I found out that they do not carry it in Guelph.

Just wondered how this did for everyone? Bought some Malanga and am going to try starting it in a pot until things warm up a bit more.

I got elephant ear bulbs from the plant nursery section of Wal-Mart. They have large green leaves and sprouted side bulbs/plants. Is this the same thing as taro? If so is it safe to eat?

Elephant ears are not the same as taro.

Scott

I agree, Elephant ears are not the same as Taro. The bulb is not the same either.....much smaller and firmer.....and seems to winter better in a cold cellar.

However, I did have some 32 inch leaves on my Taro purchased from A & P, so I decided that that is the better buy, and will go back there next year for more. I was away this fall, and early frost really clobbered my Taro anyway.

I would not eat the Elephant Ears however similar they appear. Perhaps someone else can add to this exciting conversation.

Thank goodness you all told me not to eat my elephant ears. I wondered every time looked at my huge leaves. Our Super Wal-Mart does not sell taro roots. Is it seasonal? The Asian market may have it in OKC.

I have digestion problems with acidic stomomach. I read that they put taro in baby food because it is easy to digest.

I like poi with lomi salmon and taro chips sounds good.
Thanks guys.
Caroline

Colocasia esculenta is Taro and is also known as Elephant Ear.
Varieties of Alocasia are also Taro and called Elephant Ear.
"Horton"

Here is a link that might be useful: Taro/Elephant Ear

Which variety of taro are you all planting? Must be a variety of "dryland" or upland taro. I am looking for cultivars and growing info for the wetland variety used to make Hawaiian poi.

It's true that taro is full of oxylate crystals that cause irritation and itching unless the taro (leaves and root) are fully cooked. The leaves are delicious when harvest young and cooked like spinach. They are used to make lau lau. The leaves are cooked, then wrapped around pieces of butterfish, pork and shrimp, then wrapped in ti leaves and cooked in an imu or underground oven.

The other day I had some time to kill, and stopped into a new asian market in Guelph, ON. They had an amazing display of Taro, the biggest roots I've ever seen and at a good price too. I'll be heading back there in June to get some growing in the garden.
.....................................................
Taro is the staple of the Hawaiian diet and gave its name, lu'au (taro tops), to the traditional Hawaiian feast which is also known as 'aha'aina or pa'ina.
Also known as callaloo, patra leaves, and kalo, these large, heart-shaped leaves are generally 1.5 to 2Â in both length and width.

Buying taro leaf
Available in many varieties, the two most commonly found are the green stemmed and the purple stemmed. The purple one is generally much more expensive than the green, and is also much more difficult to obtain.

Storage
Best stored in a plastic bag between 45-50° F, the bag should have a few holes for adequate airflow and ventilation.

Using taro leaf
Taro leaves must be boiled for at least 45 minutes before consuming. Why? Because small, crystal-like pieces of calcium oxalate irritate the mouth and tongue when not fully cooked. Even then, some irritation may be noted.

Taro leaves may be cooked and used like spinach.

Some Hawaiian dish

Fafa
steamed chicken and taro leaf in coconut milk

Palusami
Breadfruit with young taro leaf and coconut cream
.........................................
Traditional Laulau

Preparation time: Under 30 minutes + 1-2 hours soaking time
Cooking time: 4-6 hours
Cost: Economical
Difficulty: Relatively easy
Tradition

Taro is the staple of the Hawaiian diet and gave its name, lu'au (taro tops), to the traditional Hawaiian feast. Lu`au Taro leaves, often baked with coconut cream and chicken or octopus; the word eventually came to mean a Hawaiian feast, which is also known as 'aha'aina or pa'ina.

Ingredients

24 luau (taro) leaves (or substitute fresh spinach)
-----------------------------------------------------------
450 g (1 lb.) salted butterfish or salmon (or substitute salted cod)
-----------------------------------------------------------
1 1/2 tbsp. Hawaiian rock salt (kosher)
-----------------------------------------------------------
900 g (2 lb.) pork shoulder, cut in 2-5 cm (1-2") cubes
-----------------------------------------------------------8 ti leaves (or substitute corn husks or parchment paper)
-----------------------------------------------------------
String for tying
-----------------------------------------------------------
4 plantains, skin on
-----------------------------------------------------------
4 sweet corn or yams, skin on

Method

Wash the taro leaves thoroughly. Remove the stems and fibrous part of the vein. If the fish is very salty, cover it with water in a bowl, soak for 1 - 2 hours, and drain. Rub the salt into the pork and set aside.
Arrange 5-6 taro leaves in the palm of your hand and place a piece of pork and a piece of fish in the middle. Fold the leaves over the pork and fish to form a bundle.
Prepare the ti leaves by cutting the stiff center rib and stripping it off to make the leaf pliable.
Place the taro leaf bundle at one end of the leaf and roll it up. Place another ti leaf across the bundle in the other direction and roll. Tie the ti leaf bundles securely with household string and knot.
Place the raw laulau bundle in a steamer with water in the bottom. Steam the laulau for 4-6 hours, checking the water and adding more as necessary. The time will vary according to the density of the laulau. Add the bananas and sweet potatoes to the steamer during the last hour.

You might try the following link from the University of

Hawai'i. Like all universitys the major thrust is towards

commercial growing, but you can interpret the information

to your needs. http://www.google.com/u/uhwww?q=taro+plants&sitesearch=hawaii.edu&domains=hawaii.edu&sa=Search

Dragging this thread kicking and screaming from the depths...

I have a question regarding taro root & the planting thereof.
While at the grocery store today I happened by the Asian produce section, and they had GIANT bins of taro root, so I figured 'why not'! I picked up a small root about 3" long & 2" wide, it has 3 small eyes and one large 'sprout' at the top. It feels nice and firm all over.

The best part *** it only cost me $0.08 *** !!!

Now the question, and likely a dumb one. When I plant this prize, do I completely bury it as if planting a potato, or do I leave the top bit exposed above the surface of the soil?

Thank you! Any help would be appreciated.

~GardenChicken in the (still) frozen north

Well, GardenChicken. Here we are, both in the still frozen north, albeit I am in southern Ontario, zone 5 and very relieved that I am not in zone 3, like you. I do have a brother-in-law in Great Slave Lake, however, so know a little about Alberta.

With respect to your question, what you purchased is what I purchased last year, and they behaved almost as well as Elephant Ears, - not quite as large, but very close to it. Yes, I plant it very much like a potatoe, and it sent out copious roots and before I knew it I had all kinds of little plants. I have even been able to overwinter some of them in a sunny window. They make a nice statement without a big statement on my Mastecard bill. Well done. Stick it into a reasonably large pot now, and let it go. Mine are currently in 8 inch diameter pots now.

Jroot, thanks very much for the information. I found a web site that suggested planting it 3"-4" deep in equal parts peat moss, loam & sand or perlite. Thanks for the tip about the large pot.

Hate to tell you this though, Great Slave Lake is in the Northwest Territories, it is Lesser Slave Lake that resides in Alberta (a small pool of water compared to it's big brother!). LOL
I have a very good friend that lives in (Lesser) Slave Lake. Indeed it is colder up that way.
I do envy you folks in southern Ontario, seems like the tropics compared to here!

I'll be very curious to see how the taro grows here with our seemingly constant wind and cool nights. I'm hoping to do a little bit of a bog container (my first) in the backyard this year.

Again, thanks for your reply!

~GC

For those interested in winter storage, I had several lifted from the garden in plastic bags and left on the floor of the basement where I forgot all about them. When I found them today they were still nice and firm and the side shoots were starting to send up new stems. The basement is fairly dry and the temp stays about 60-65oF in the winter. The largest bulb is now 8 inches in diameter (from 3inches from the grocery) and the pups growing from it are about 2-3 inches in diameter. My expensive black magic taro did not do nearly as well in proper storage but is sending up shoots too. Sandy

Question:
I purchased Taro from local asian grocer, they are large, some bigger then soft balls, which direction is up??????
They are the shape of a giant onion or beet, with no roots. I've read and read the forums and nobody says which way is up I don't want to plant them on their sides because I'm afraid of rot. I know I have to leave some of the giant bulb sticking out. Has anyone tryed sprouting in damp sawdust to find out which way is up.

any help appreciated
Gayle

Gayle,

This is my first time growing taro and this is what I did. I completely covered my taro in moist peat moss and placed it in a plastic baggie on the window sill. My curiosity had me digging around every couple days to see if anything was happening. Within a couple weeks I saw roots start to develop and at that point I potted it up proper, to a depth of about 3", in an 8" pot (as Jroot suggested) and it has taken off like lightning. I could see on my 'root' which way was up, but suspect once your roots start all will become clear.

Hope this helps, and good luck!

~GardenChicken

Well thanks, ChickenGarden from Alberta. That is exactly what I was going to recommend, but you beat me to it. Actually, it does not hurt to put them on their side as opposed to upside right. They will find a way. If you look really carefully, you will see some eyes, (like a potato), and that is the side to have up. I have several growing now, but to be honest, I usually go in early June to the oriental market, and purchase a few tubers. They do sometimes take a while to form shoots, but the roots are forming like crazy down below before the shoots come up.

Gardenchicken/ jroot
Thanks for the advice decided to pot 4 (bulbs) like an amerylis 1/3 of the bulb above soil, vermiculite mix in one gallon pot with baggie over it, and bottom heat, 85 degree room, the other 4 I did the baggie trick, with bottom heat.......... I hope I actually got taro, the writing was in asian........mine look like giant amerylis (sorry can't spell ;o) bulbs, I weighed them they're between 3-3.5 lbs each, theyre HUGE.
does this sound right??????

Gayle

P.S also bought a 4 ft chunk of sugar cane, going to try to give it a whirl....any suggestions??? I have cut it into thirds and stuck it in water and stones like bamboo

Gayle,

How are your taro/amaryllis'ish/mysteryplants doing? Any sprouts yet? How about an update on your sugar cane!

The taro I planted has a really nice fat shoot that is about 2" above the surface of the soil, and it looks like a bright green leaf forming.

Can anyone tell me if I should be fertilizing at this point, and if so, with what?

Thanks,
GC

GardenChicken,

I have taro potted up and growing leaves. I don't fertilize it at all during the winter. My purpose it to keep it alive,and not to grow large leaves. With inadequate light, it would create very large leaves, and possibly become spindley, only to be sunburned when I take it outdoors. I would rather it develop good roots than good leaves. When I take it outdoors, it will develop good leaves appropriate to the amount of light it gets.

I hope this helps.

Hey all
Here's an update gardenchicken. The taro bulbs were about 3.5 lbs. I placed them in baggies in damp sawdust on a heating duct.....
yes its still way below zero here, and 3ft of snow...sigh......
but after 4 days on a heating duct...with opening and closing the baggies everyday to allow moisture out presto..they sent out roots and shoot and sprouts..I have taken pics if someone will tell me how to post..I took them out of there baggies today and potted them up and put them back on the heat duct............
P.S I lost one bulb to rot and boy o boy it smells like potatoe wine.......... phew

sugarcan was cut into 12 in chunks and stuck in water.....placed on top of a flourecent light for the bottom heat......water has to be changed every day or the sugar in the water starts to forment and smell like wine.......hm I'm on a wine kick.........
two of the peices have lots of roots about 2 in long around each ring of the cane.......no buds yet.......and one of the peices has no roots but it has buds.....go figure....
It's going to be interesting.............
going to wait another week and then pot one up ;o)

Tryed something new found banana seeds put those on the heating duct too we'll see.

Gayle

Thanks for the update Gayle, I still can't believe the size of your taro bulbs! Just make sure you turn them so their eyes are away from the window. You wouldn't want them to see all that snow!!! It is truly delightful to see so many of us great white northerners growing these tropical gems!

Here's a link on posting pictures that I pilfered from another forum. I've not read through it but assume because of it's length that somewhere in there is a good explanation! LOL

~GC

Hey Thanks gardenchicken:
wasn't too hard to figure out even for a blond like me.. ;o)
Hope this works....
Here's pics of the taro bulbs/tubers/ .....?
I had just taken them out of the baggies for planting in dirt.
Went to Home Depot yesterday saw some EE Tubers 3 for 5.98..... they were the size of a small plums.....
Are the pics taro??????????
hope so....
If not any ideas......?
keep you posted......
How are your new shoots coming along?
my cannas are about 4in already.........

Gayle

{{gwi:429224}}

Wow Gayle! Those are some tubers/roots/bulbs/corms... they look really healthy! Mine looked like that (albeit much smaller) so I think it's safe to say they are indeed taro.

Here's how mine is looking now, it is 4" tall:

{{gwi:429226}}

Yup, those look like EE bulbs to me. I kept some of my taro plants growing during the winter. Cut the tops off, and potted them. I found the best ones were the young bulbs and they have been sprouting forth all winter. Looks exactly like GardenChicken's.

I have found however, that they are a magnet for aphids. So I have been spraying them, and this morning dabbing with alcohol directly on the little blighters.

I won't be putting them out to the garden until June, but near the mid-end of April be putting them into the garage in the evening, and out to the driveway during warm days. That should slow the aphid population down somewhat, and also slow upward growth in exchange for better root development in their 2 gallon pots.

Jroot,

Is it normal for them to start sending up leaves when they're as short as mine?

And you don't put yours in the garden till June in zone 5a? Oh boy, what does that mean for zone 3!

It is perfectly normal for them to send up leaves like this. The leaves actually do come from quite low. There is no stem per-se.

I find that they like to have warm soil. With cold soil, they just sit there and appear to be doing nothing. Actually they are sending out roots all over the place, so when planting make sure that they are in an area that you don't mind runners....some several feet long. When the soil warms up, up they come.

Last year, I had them in a rather protected place from the wind, albeit more shady.{{gwi:429228}}
This summer, I will try them in a sunny bog I started. The downside of this site is the wind that comes through. We'll just see who wins,- wind or Taro.

Jroot! Is the one on the left one you grew from a root? And is that another one sneaking into the picture on the right?

I will be THRILLED if mine even comes close to that size. Your coleus (?) are beautiful as well! Very nice contrast of foliage texture and colour.

Thanks for the tip about the runners. My plan is to grow it in a container bog, so that won't be a problem for me.

I gotta say, I've never had so much fun on 8 cents in my life! I've been hoving over that leaf watching it slooooowly unfurl today. Something I found interesting is it always seems to have one droplet of what appears to be water at the very tip of the leaf. Have you noticed this with yours?

This is so cool! :)

GardenChicken, those are planted from a bulb. They do get rather large with lots of moisture.
{{gwi:429230}}

I am sure that you will enjoy them. Yes, I do notice that drop of moisture. Sometimes it makes me wonder if the aphids are getting to it. Is the moisture sticky? If so, APHIDS. If not, enjoy.

The plant on the right is not an EE or Taro. It is a ligularia.
{{gwi:429232}}

Jroot, I sure hope my leaves get THAT big! I am so excited about this taro, what cheap entertainment! Every day is interesting, I can't believe how this thing is growing.

{{gwi:429234}}

The drop on the end of the leaf isn't sticky, it seems to just be water. Weird. It would just come back if I knocked it off.

I didn't know that Ligularia leaves would get so big. Nice plant!

Do these plants die back? I live in Ft. Lauderdale and I am in the process of doing the "tropical" landscape. I would rather not plant something that will die back in a few months.

Mine, here in zone 5, keep going from the time I plant them in June until I cut them down in September. My understanding is that they will keep going, and possibly spread in your area. They are a very thick leaved plant, but do need water.

What kind of taro can I buy to get the tallest, biggest plants? I need to mask a drainage ditch. Also, will they grow in shade/ partial shade?

Buying Taro at Wal-Mart or other grocery stores is certainly going to be seasonal if they have any at all at certain locations. Just keep your eye out.

estheramgr,
How to Grow Taro below: