Colocasia antiqourum, common Eddo should not be able to survive a Zone 7a winter but this one and one other did. I planted it in the summer of 2015 from roots I bought at the local grocery store. This is the common Eddoe grown for eating not any particular ornamental cultivar. After over a year in the ground I wanted to see if the croms multiplied and they did. There are now 3 full size croms 1 immature and the original. This guy is getting a promotion to house plant this winter before going back outside.
What part is normally eaten?
The crom (root) portion, is boiled and eaten like a potato. The leaves are also eaten but that is cultivar specific. Eddoe leaves I know are full of Calcium Oxalate needles and can not be eaten. The leaves of the cultivar Dasheen and Taro are edible and are the bases of the Trinidad and Tobago version of Calloo and many Filipino and se Asian dishes.
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Is that what that is?? I’ve got it growing all over the place back behind my fence in the wild portion of my yard. Not sure if it is naturally occurring or someone tossed an ornamental out at one point in time. Either way, it’s self propagating…
Found this information…
Wild taro may be confused with other plants in Florida that have large arrowhead-shaped leaf blades, such as the nonnative elephant ear (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) and the native arums (Peltandra spp.). Only taro has leaf stalks attached to the back of the leaf blade.
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yes they are listed as invasive in Florida.
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mine looks similar to the second picture. It’s close to the creek. Wasn’t aware that it was considered invasive. I’m certainly not planning to eat it.
Found some additional information, will need to take a closer look to see exactly what I have:
Wild taro may be confused with other plants in Florida that have large arrowhead-shaped leaf blades, such as the nonnative elephant ear (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) and the native arums (Peltandra spp.). Only taro has leaf stalks attached to the back of the leaf blade.
I always check eat the weeds for edibles invasive and native. Sadly there is no way to render wild taro safe.
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Being part native Hawaiian my dad planted a large patch of taro. It has done well in south Georgia. In the past I would eat a lot of Laulau, which is pork wrapped in taro leaves. I was never a huge fan of the tuber, poi is meh. Taro is central to Hawaiian culture and food.
I was pondering whether Eddoe could survive in zone 7, and sure enough I’m glad you tried and succeeded.
Any idea if deer or other pests try to eat this in zone 7? I got a few tubers on hand, might have a go at growing it.