Native Plant Alternatives to Colocasia esculenta (Taro)

Colocasia esculenta, commonly known as elephant ear or taro, is native to Southeast Asia and India, where its starchy corm is a major food source. It’s been widely introduced to other tropical and subtropical regions around the world, both for its culinary uses and its ornamental value.

However, because of its rapid growth and ability to reproduce from small pieces of corm, it can spread aggressively and become invasive, particularly in wetlands, ditches, and along waterways. It forms dense stands that can crowd out native vegetation and alter aquatic habitats.

Colocasia esculenta (Taro) is listed in the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States.

In the United States, it’s particularly problematic in Florida and other parts of the Southeast, and it’s also invasive in parts of Australia, Africa, and the Pacific Islands.

According to the U.S Forest Service, Invasive species have contributed to the decline of 42% of U.S. endangered and threatened species and 18% of U.S. endangered or threatened species. Invasive species compete directly with native species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients, and space. They displace and alter native plant communities, degrade wildlife habitat and water quality, and potentially lead to increased soil erosion.

The federal government has estimated that nearly 25 percent of the 20,000 plant species native to North America are at risk of extinction, many of these through habitat loss. You can help reverse this trend by planting great native plants in your garden.

A plant is considered native if it occurs naturally in a particular region or ecosystem without human introduction. There are many benefits to growing native plants. First, these plants are better adapted to soils, moisture, and weather than exotic plants that evolved in other parts of the world. They need fewer fertilizers and pesticides or use less water. Second, they are unlikely to escape and become invasive, destroying natural habitats. Third, they support wildlife, providing shelter and food for native birds and insects, while exotic plants do not.