TARO, COLOCASIA, OREILLES D’ÉLÉPHANT, UNE TOUCHE EXOTIQUE AU JARDIN. Le Quotidien du Jardin N°390

NewsJardinTV, the channel that shares your passion for plants, gardens, botany, nature, and gardening, presents issue 390 of its show "Le Quotidien du Jardin" (The Garden Daily), produced by Nicole and Patrick Mioulane. Amandine6637 asks us the following question: Are the taro plants sold as ornamental plants the same as those eaten in tropical countries, and can they be kept from one year to the next in a Normandy garden? "Taro" is the common name for Colocasia esculenta, whose corm (a swollen underground stem that serves as a storage organ) is often mistakenly called a tuber. With its sweet potato-like flavor, taro is eaten in tropical countries, as are the young leaves, which are cooked like spinach. The name "taro," commonly used in Europe to refer to the plant, was borrowed from the Polynesian Maori language by Captain James Cook, who, in 1769, observed Colocasia plantations in New Zealand. Colocasia (Araceae, 14 species) are native to Southeast Asia and India, but some are widely cultivated and naturalized in other tropical and subtropical regions. Colocasia esculenta, also known as "song" or "Madeira," is sometimes referred to as "elephant's ears," but this is a catch-all term for various aroids with large, heart-shaped leaves. Colocasia esculenta is a stemless plant, with leaves growing directly from the rootstock. Borne on a petiole 80 cm to 1.50 m tall, the base of which envelops the upper end of the corm, the leaves are rounded triangular in shape, ending in a short point (mucronate apex). The thick, smooth leaf blade, which has three main veins, can reach 80 cm in length. Most taro varieties have peltate leaves, meaning the petiole is located in the center of the leaf blade. The green or purplish-purple leaf is covered with honeycomb-like microstructures that make it superhydrophobic (lotus effect). Flowering is rare in many cultivars. The inflorescence is a cylindrical, yellowish-green spadix, about three-fifths the length of the 20 to 40 cm long spathe, which curls into a horn around the spadix. The fruits are small, ovoid berries, orange when ripe, tightly packed. There are some interesting ornamental taros: • 'Black Magic': a large plant that can exceed 1.50 m in height, with imposing dark purple, almost black, leaves. Spectacular but relatively sensitive to the cold: -6°C. • 'Blue Hawaii': a very beautiful plant that exceeds 1 m in height and has light green leaves veined with purple, almost black, and a petiole of the same color. Hardiness: -6°C. • 'Hawaiian Punch': forms a clump about 1 m high, with large sea-green leaves held by a dark red petiole. Hardiness: -8°C. • 'Madeira': a compact plant, less than 1 m tall, and has green leaves with blue veins held by purplish-red petioles. Hardiness: -8°C. • 'Pink China': Unique with its purplish-pink petioles and peltate, fairly long, light green leaves with glaucous highlights. Plant grows over 1 m tall. Hardiness superior to the species: -10°C. • 'White Lava': Large plant (1.20 to 1.50 m) with a very unique appearance, featuring rounded, glossy, deep green leaves with yellow markings in the center. Hardiness: -6°C. Grow Colocasia esculenta in the ground due to its rapid and significant growth. A thick mulch of dead leaves will often be enough to protect the plant in winter, as the aerial part is destroyed by the first cold weather. You can also repot the plant at the end of the season in a comfortable container filled with good potting soil. Plant Colocasia esculenta in deep, moist (even boggy) soil, preferably slightly acidic or neutral. The tubers can be harvested when the new leaves diminish in size and some turn yellow. Like other members of the family, Colocasia esculenta contains microscopic calcium oxalate needles (raphids) that irritate the lips, mouth, and throat. This toxicity is eliminated by cooking, soaking, or fermenting. Thank you for watching our daily show. The NewsJardinTV team hopes you enjoyed this short video interlude and that you enjoyed your time with us. Join us every evening starting at 7 p.m. for a new show: "THE DAILY GARDEN." It's on NewsJardinTV and nowhere else! In issue 391, we will answer the following question: I suggest you make a video about the Leptospermum martini shrub, or tea tree. I can't find one online.